Full Moon Pups

by Liz Garton Scanlon, Chuck Groenink (Illustrator)

Overview

This lyrical, gorgeously illustrated picture book in verse follows a litter of baby wolf pups in the wild through their first full lunar cycle.

Deep in the forest, Mama Wolf gives birth to an adorable litter of pups under a sky full of moon. Over the next month, the pups will open their eyes, stretch out their tiny paws, and playfully explore the world around them—all under the watchful eyes of Mama Wolf and the rest of the pack. And before long, these pups will be big enough to yip at the full moon themselves!

With stunning artwork and a gently rhyming text full of fascinating wolf facts, this ideal bedtime or storytime read is perfect for anyone who has ever heard the call of the wild.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780525514558
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/25/2023
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 10.60(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Liz Garton Scanlon is the author of numerous beloved picture books, including the Caldecott Honor book All the World; Kate, Who Tamed the Wind; and Another Way to Climb a Tree. Learn more at lizgartonscanlon.com and follow Liz on Twitter at @LGartonScanlon.

Chuck Groenink is the illustrator of many picture books, including William's Winter Nap / A Cozy Good Night by Linda Ashman, The Friend Ship by Kat Yeh, and Hank's Big Day: The Story of a Bug by Evan Kuhlman. Visit Chuck online at ChuckGroenink.com and follow him on Instagram @c.groenink.

Editorial Reviews

06/19/2023

Rhyming quatrains by Garton Scanlon trace the birth and early lives of a litter of wolf cubs in this closely observed picture book marked by the moon’s phases. After days of watchful nursing, “The pups, still blind but crawling,/ start to feel their way around.// Tiny paws find roots and rocks,/ but hardly make a sound.” Drama arrives during a rainstorm: rising water threatens the pups, and older wolves help carry the litter to higher ground. As the moon wanes and nights turn darker, other threats loom, and the newly emboldened pups frolic and learn, maturing into playful youths over the next lunar cycle. Lush, deep blue multimedia spreads splashed with sunset tints by Groenink convey the majestic sweep of mountains and pine forests, and the animated facial expressions of the approachable-looking wolves. Notes about wolves’ life cycle in North America and the moon’s phases conclude. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Full Moon Pups:

An SCBWI Charlotte and Wilbur Award for Compassion for Animals Honor Book

"The lightly fictionalized narrative introduces children to the wolves and the phases of the moon, which goes through one complete cycle as the story progresses . . . The illustrations effectively showcase both the wolves and the moon, while the rhythmic, rhyming verses include just enough information about the pups to interest young children." —Booklist

"Irresistibly adorable." —Kirkus Reviews

"Scanlon shines new light on a keystone species’ life cycle through the subtle framing of a lunar cycle. The text’s tightly structured rhyming stanzas, softened by sweet alliteration and an earnest tone, lend well to a thoughtful, informational storytime itinerary . . . Groenink’s use of soft textures, diffused light, and striking combinations of blues offset by warm hues, creates a sequence of breathtaking art." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Rhyming quatrains by Garton Scanlon trace the birth and early lives of a litter of wolf cubs in this closely observed picture book marked by the moon’s phases . . . Lush, deep blue multimedia spreads splashed with sunset tints by Groenink convey the majestic sweep of mountains and pine forests, and the animated facial expressions of the approachable-looking wolves." —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2023-01-12
Young wolves go from helpless babes to howling pups over a lunar cycle.

From the anticipation of their birth to their first venturing into the dangerous outside world, five wolf pups are protected by their mother and pack. Joining a long line of “How could these cuties ever become dangerous predators?” books about wolves, this title amps up the cuteness with cuddly illustrations. The pups stumble blindly and snuggle with their mother; as they mature, they frolic amid flowers and butterflies, wrestle playfully in the moonlight, and begin to eat meat. “The pups grow ever bolder. / They start to reach and range. / What is that? And who is this? / The whole wide world is strange!” The dangers of the outside world are downplayed and vague; all five survive to the end, when they howl at a glowing full moon. The rhyming couplets are effective, the drawings lush, and the unnamed pups adorable, their story told with the ever present moon cycle a reminder of time passing. An author’s note and information on phases of the moon close out the work. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Irresistibly adorable wolf pups come of age in this attractive tale. (bibliography, internet sources) (Informational picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews