Whispers of the Wolf

K-Gr 2—Two Birds is shy and feels isolated from the other boys in his 16th-century Pueblo village. One day, he finds an abandoned wolf pup and decides to rescue and raise it. Through his wolf, he finds his voice as a storyteller and earns the respect and friendship of his peers. Eventually, he must choose whether to keep his wolf in captivity or allow it to run free and pursue its true nature. The stylized pastel illustrations successfully support the emotions of the story and do a particularly nice job of connecting the grandeur of the natural world to Two Birds's daily life. Ts'o includes notes on each of the illustrations, including information about cultural practices, environmental and historical context, and suggestions for further reading. The story is historical fiction, not a retelling of a traditional story or legend, and although she is not Native herself, the author has made an effort to respectfully tell a story that will resonate with modern-day Pueblos without appropriation. In her foreword, Rosemary Apple Blossom Lonewolf, who is enrolled in the Santa Clara Pueblo (Tewa) tribe, states that "I am happy to declare Whispers of the Wolf a satisfying blend of words and images descriptive of a young Pueblo boy's life." The book also includes an approving preface by Vivian Arviso Deloria, an educator enrolled in the Navajo nation.