Child of the Wolves facts for kids

Child of the Wolves is an exciting children's book published in 1996. It tells the story of a brave Siberian husky puppy. This puppy ends up joining a wild wolf pack. The book was written by Elizabeth Hall. She is married to Scott O'Dell, who wrote Island of the Blue Dolphins.

The Story of Granite

Granite is born on a snowy day in Alaska. He is a Siberian husky puppy. For his first few weeks, he lives in a warm kennel. He plays with his brothers and sisters. Their names are Digger, Cricket, and Nugget. Their mother, Seppala, gets sick for a bit. But she gets better. Granite's owners, Tim and Kate, take good care of all the pups.

Granite is a bit different from his siblings. He doesn't really want to be a sled dog. When the pups are ten weeks old, a man comes to buy some of them. He wants Granite and Cricket. Cricket doesn't mind going to a new home. But Granite doesn't want to leave his mother. He runs away from the kennel. He escapes into the huge Alaskan wilderness.

Granite Meets the Wolves

Granite wanders alone for days. He is hungry and hurt. Finally, the lost puppy meets a pack of wolves. The pack is led by a black wolf named Ebony. His mate is Snowdrift, a white wolf. Snowdrift had lost her own pups weeks before. Humans had stolen them. They wanted to breed young wolves with dogs. This creates wolfdogs, which can be sold for a lot of money.

Snowdrift takes Granite in. She raises him like her own son. She teaches him how to hunt mice. This helps her feel better about losing her own pups.

Life in the Pack

Not everyone in the pack likes Granite. Ebony, the leader, doesn't like him. Neither does Strider, Ebony's brother. Strider often picks on Granite. Roamer, Ebony and Snowdrift's two-year-old son, also dislikes him. Breeze, a female wolf from another pack, isn't friendly either.

But one wolf is kind to Granite. This is Climber, Snowdrift's younger son. Granite and Climber become very good friends. Granite feels safe with Climber. Climber has a "husky face" like Granite. Climber is also happy to have a younger friend. He is still young himself.

The other wolves sometimes feed Granite. But they often take the food back later. Strider even tricks Granite once. He makes Granite attack a porcupine. Granite ends up with quills all over his face.

Earning His Place

Granite tries hard to impress Ebony. He tries to catch a fox. But he almost runs into a trap. Breeze stops him just in time. The other wolves still think he is clumsy.

Later, a sad thing happens. Climber is killed during a moose hunt. Now, Granite must truly earn his place in the pack. He also has to avoid Roamer and Strider. The Alaskan wilderness is full of dangers. Granite feels overwhelmed by the teasing. He runs away again.

Granite is no longer a helpless puppy. He can find his own food. But he feels very lonely. He meets another wolf pack. They are not friendly. They chase him away from their territory. Granite decides to go back to Ebony's country. Ebony is angry, but he lets Granite rejoin the pack.

Challenges and Triumphs

Meanwhile, Snowdrift goes looking for her lost pups. Hunters shoot her from a plane. She is found by the pack. Snowdrift is now blind and hurt. While she recovers, Breeze becomes almost kind to Granite. She teaches him how to hunt salmon.

In the fall, Granite hunts a marmot. Roamer tries to take it from him. Granite fights Roamer and wins! Roamer never bothers him again.

In the end, Granite saves Snowdrift's life. Ebony finally lets Granite hunt right beside him. This is Granite's biggest dream come true. Even Strider becomes friendly. He stops challenging Granite. Granite is now more than two years old. He finally realizes that he has found his true home.

Main Characters

• Granite: The main character of the story. He is a Siberian husky puppy. He runs away from his human home. He is adopted by a wolf pack.
• Digger, Nugget, and Cricket: Granite's younger brothers and sister. Digger is the biggest. Nugget is the smallest. Cricket is the only girl pup sold to a new owner.
• Seppala: Granite's mother. She is a husky. She gets sick early in the book but recovers.
• Tim and Kate: The human couple who own Seppala and her puppies.
• Snowdrift: A white wolf. She is Ebony's mate and the mother of the pack. She adopts Granite after her own pups are stolen.
• Ebony: A black wolf. He is the leader of the wolf pack. He is Snowdrift's mate.
• Strider: A large gray wolf. He is Ebony's brother. He often teases Granite.
• Roamer: Ebony and Snowdrift's son. He also bothers Granite. But Granite eventually stands up to him.
• Climber: Ebony and Snowdrift's younger son. He is the only wolf besides Snowdrift who is kind to Granite. He is killed during a hunt.