School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-7-Callum is living with wolves because his parents accidentally left him behind on a family camping trip years earlier. Although he has become part of the pack, his wolf mother realizes that he needs to leave. She finds clothing for him and takes him to the edge of human civilization. A benevolent woman cleans him up and offers him a train ticket into the city. Power writes formally, causing readers to believe that Callum is living in the early 20th century, but this is not the case-the story takes place in today's world. The Boy Who Howled leaps into suspended reality: Callum speaks English perfectly within pages of entering society, accidentally attending the same school as his twin sister, and meets his father at the zoo where an elephant paints great works of art. The novel finishes neatly with Callum being reunited with his family. The characters aren't interesting and the plot isn't compelling. Disappointing.-Patty Saldenberg, George Jackson Academy, New York City (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.