Review by Booklist Review
Maple has a comfortable life with the Parker family, getting treats and walks from Mom and Dad, playing tug-of-war with Jax, and quietly listening while Avery reads to her. However, the large dog begins to wonder whether she is really living with the right family after hearing people questioning whether she's a dog or a wolf. Using chalk diagrams, the Parkers explain the differences between the two animals, hoping to convince people that their dog is, indeed, just that. When the opportunity presents itself, though, Maple decides to explore on her own and find out once and for all if she is with the correct pack. The engaging digital illustrations range in size from small vignettes to large double-page-spread pictures, and zigzag lines show Maple's pathways as she traverses the neighborhood in her quest to find herself and where she belongs. As Maple soon discovers, acting like a predator in the midst of an urban forest preserve and actually being a lone wolf are two different and distinct things.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--Maple is a beautiful black-and-white husky who loves her life with the Parker family. However, when they take her on walks, they are often stopped and asked if Maple is part wolf. Although they always say no, the dog begins to have doubts. Wolves are expert hunters, just like Maple, who readers see proudly sitting on top of a bed with a stuffed dinosaur in her mouth. Wolves like to dig and Maple is an expert digger in the family's flower garden in the backyard. Soon Maple begins to think that she doesn't belong in a house at all but should live in the wild like all the other wolves. Then one day, as luck would have it, the front gate is left open and Maple decides to make a break for the forest. It turns out that being a wolf is a lot harder than this dog expected. Soon Maple tires of the whole thing and makes her way back to her true pack, the Parker family. VERDICT With lovely cadenced phrasing, and a winning heroine, this delightful debut picture book is strongly recommended for purchase.--Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A beloved pet questions her place in the world. Maple, the Parkers' dog, loves her routines: tug of war with Jax, reading with Avery, and extra-long walks with Mom or Dad. She fits right in as the family's fifth member. But, out in the neighborhood, people question whether Maple truly belongs. Is she a husky or a wolf? Most say wolf. The Parkers try to convince everyone otherwise, but even Maple begins to have her doubts. She looks like a wolf. She hunts like a wolf. She howls like a wolf and digs like a wolf. Maple's soul-searching eventually leads her to dart off into a nature preserve near the Parkers' home. But out in the wild, the ground is tougher and the squirrels are harder to catch. Before too long, Maple misses her pack of humans. Will she make it back in time for her evening walk? Kurpiel's debut is a tender family story about belonging despite appearances. The cartoon illustrations are packed with small details that enhance the story beyond the text (such as the chewed-up stuffed animals that are Maple's prey). One especially delightful page turn breaks the frame in multiple places with a hilarious super-close-up. The family presents white, and community members are diverse in skin tone. Avery uses an electric wheelchair. The doggy-filled endpapers also depict a wheelchair-using bull terrier. Pawsitive vibes all around. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
