Wolf Shadows
Reissued by the University of Minnesota Press, 2013
Paperback: 978 – 0816690312
136 pages
Autographed copies of Wolf Shadows are available from Mary’s online store.
Wolf Shadows
written by Mary Casanova
cover art by Dan Brown
The song started low, a single voice rising, then was quickly joined by a chorus of high-pitched and throatier howls. The song rose and fell, traveling over the treetops.
In this sequel to Moose Tracks, twelve-year-old Seth is back for a new adventure. A debate is brewing in his northern Minnesota town over the growing wolf packs and the programs that are in place for their protection. Although he fears them, Seth can’t help but want to see the wolves thrive.
Seth’s feelings put him at odds with those who want to hunt wolves again — including his best friend Matt, whose family believes that the wolf population poses a serious threat to their livestock. Torn between his love of animals and his best friend, Seth is unsure of what to do. When Matt commits a horrible act of violence, Seth angrily abandons him in the woods, unaware that a blizzard is on the way. Now Seth must try to rescue his friend — but will he be able to save their friendship?
Reviews & Comments
Awards
- Minnesota Book Award masterlist,1998
- Northeastern Minnesota Book Award Masterlist, 1998
- ALA Quick Picks for YA Reluctant Readers masterlist
- Jeanette Fair Award Runner-up, 1999
- Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Minnesota,
Tau State Organization - Mark Twain Book Award masterlist (Missouri), 1999 – 2000
- Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Book Award list, 1999 – 2000
- Best Read-Alouds Booklist (Indiana, 1999 – 2000
- Iowa Children’s Choice Award masterlist, 2000 – 2001
- Lamplighter Award list, National Christian Schools Association,
2000 – 2001
Curriculum Information
Learn about Wild Wolves
Online Resources
- National Geographic Geoguide: This is the ultimate classroom/family guide. This online resource includes a multitude of classroom ideas and family activities to accompany the May 1998 issue of National Geography and World “Wolves.”
- The Defenders of Wildlife Site: Wolves: Quoted from the site: Defenders of Wildlife has been a leader in wolf conservation since wolves first appeared on the federal endangered species list. In recent years, Defenders helped restore wolves to the Northern Rockies and played key roles in the reintroduction of gray wolves to the Southwest and red wolves to the Southeast.
- NOVA Online: Wild Wolves
- Wolf Park is a nonprofit research and education facility dedicated to the understanding and conservation of the wolf, a most misunderstood predator. Located in Indiana, the Park was established in 1972 by Dr. Erich Klinghammer and is home to 18 wolves, a small herd of bison, three foxes and a coyote.
International Wolf Center, Ely, MN. The International Wolf Center supports the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wild lands and the human role in their future.
Mary Shares the Story Behind Wolf Shadows
One day, when skiing through the woods, I came across a fresh wolf kill. The snow was stained red. Tawny fur was scattered over wolf and deer tracks. Only a few small bones remained. The wolves had wasted nothing.
I’ve long held a fascination for wolves. Every time I see a wolf crossing a remote road or see one traveling across a frozen lake, I’m filled with awe and wonder. I’m glad to see the wolf population thrive, but not everyone feels as I do.
I’ve overheard conversations at small cafes where individuals brag about illegally shooting, trapping, or maiming a wolf. They see wolves as their enemy.
So I started to wonder, as writers do, what if…? What if Seth and Matt (from Moose Tracks) find themselves far apart on how they feel about wolves? What if Matt comes from a family who once legally hunted wolves? What if Seth feels a tingle of fear about wolves, but wants to see them thrive? What if Matt loses one of his cattle to what he thinks is a wolf attack? What might he do?
In Wolf Shadows, Seth is caring for the injured moose calf he rescued from poachers, and struggles to let it go into the wild (where the wolf population has increased). In order to write some of the scenes in this book, I needed more “hands on” research with moose calves. I found not one but three at the Minnesota Zoo. The zookeeper was kind enough to allow me into their sleeping/feeding quarters and get to know Willow, Nah Nah, and Gilly. Even at 5 months old, moose are BIG! But these moose calves were gentle; they’d been bottle-fed. They allowed me to scratch them behind their big ears and pet them, sinking my fingers into their fur, nearly 3 inches deep. I fell in love!
