Today’s guest post is by K.A. Ramstad, a friend from the Realm Makers community. K.A. lives at the foot of the Bitterroot Mountains in western Montana where deer and other wildlife regularly pass by her house.
She enjoys writing about young heroes, their travels, and their talking animal friends. She wants her readers to have fun in a fantastical world while encountering God-honoring themes. Besides creating stories, she likes reading, drawing, coffee, and being with her Corgi, Maggie.
Enjoy her children’s board book review!
Little Wolf’s Song, written and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup, is a book I recommend for any family library. This story with collage illustrations tells of Little Wolf and how he learned to howl.
The book starts with an introduction to the wolf family. I like that Teckentrup distinguishes each family member’s howl. Mommy’s was warm. Daddy’s was strong and deep. The brothers’ howls were happily yappy while his sister’s howl was sweet. However, Little Wolf couldn’t howl. Instead, he squeaked.
His siblings teased him, calling him “Squeaky” and saying he was not a real wolf at all. But his parents were patient, telling him to give it time before he could howl.
One day, Little Wolf ran off while catching snowflakes. He got carried away and became lost. That night, while he was alone, a full moon shone, making his snowy world glisten. You can’t see the snow sparkle in the illustration, but I can imagine how beautiful the shimmering snow would be.
A peculiar line says, “The only thing Little Wolf could hear was the gentle sound of snow falling.” Of course, no one can hear snow fall, but that might be Teckentrup’s way of showing how silent it was.
“He looked up at the big yellow moon, and the time felt just right.” Just as in The Secret Garden where the wheelchair-bound Colin felt strong in the “magical” garden, Little Wolf experienced the same thing in this place. He finally howled. The stars twinkled bright, and the moon stretched big and round behind him, giving him the limelight.
The howl brought Daddy to Little Wolf. Daddy’s eyes were warm with pride at his son’s accomplishment, and Little Wolf’s eyes were wide with excitement. The stars continued to sparkle bright, bringing magic to the moment.
Little Wolf and Daddy went home together. His family was so happy for him. And whenever a full moon appeared, he and Daddy still went up to that place where he first howled. There, you can see the big stars, and the book says, “you can hear them howling at the moon together…the most beautiful song you have ever heard.”
While the story of Little Wolf is not explicitly Christian, it is a story of hope. The main character can represent a late bloomer or even a child with a developmental delay. As with Little Wolf, it takes time for these kids to reach their milestones even with special interventions.
Kids with delays can grow and improve. But even if God’s kids don’t reach the milestones on this side of heaven, they will in the heavenly kingdom. And like Little Wolf, they will be singing indeed.
Is a wolf who can’t howl a wolf at all? A magical story about finding your own voice.
Even though Little Wolf’s mom, dad, sister, and brothers all have their own special song, he can only manage a poor, pitiful squeak. His siblings tease him: “A wolf who can’t howl is no wolf at all!” But one snowy day, Little Wolf finds himself lost and alone in the woods—and underneath a glistening, perfect full moon, he discovers his own special, beautiful voice. Bestselling author and artist Britta Teckentrup has created a magical, heartwarming story that children will love to read again and again.
