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Firstborn
A young wolf seeks the bravery to be himself in this lyrical homage to challenging societal stereotypes, from the author of National Book Award Finalist Mean Margaret and The Wainscott Weasel.
Wolves. Predators of the wild. Stalkers of the forests. Born into rankings and expected to live up to their roles. Blue Boy, the alpha male of his pack, is the largest wolf many have ever seen, and his dream is to have a firstborn son who will take after him in every way. But Lamar is not turning out the way his father hoped. Lamar likes to watch butterflies. He worries if his younger siblings fall behind in the hunt. He has little interest in peacocking in front of other clans. Blue Boy grows increasingly dismayed at Lamar’s lack of wolf instincts, and then Lamar does the intolerable: he becomes attracted to a coyote. While the other infractions can be begrudgingly tolerated, this one cannot, and the unity of the pack is in jeopardy. Lamar wants to make his family happy, but is doing what is expected of him worth losing the only true friend he’s ever had?
Full of bite and beauty that will make you think of White Fang, then Ferdinand, this story cuts to the heart of what’s most important: being true to yourself, and being true to others.
Wolves. Predators of the wild. Stalkers of the forests. Born into rankings and expected to live up to their roles. Blue Boy, the alpha male of his pack, is the largest wolf many have ever seen, and his dream is to have a firstborn son who will take after him in every way. But Lamar is not turning out the way his father hoped. Lamar likes to watch butterflies. He worries if his younger siblings fall behind in the hunt. He has little interest in peacocking in front of other clans. Blue Boy grows increasingly dismayed at Lamar’s lack of wolf instincts, and then Lamar does the intolerable: he becomes attracted to a coyote. While the other infractions can be begrudgingly tolerated, this one cannot, and the unity of the pack is in jeopardy. Lamar wants to make his family happy, but is doing what is expected of him worth losing the only true friend he’s ever had?
Full of bite and beauty that will make you think of White Fang, then Ferdinand, this story cuts to the heart of what’s most important: being true to yourself, and being true to others.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2015
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407 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
November 14, 2022
This is the tale of a wolf pack, told from the point of view of a magpie. It’s essentially a be-who-you-are story, about a young wolf not living up to his father’s expectations and coming to accept that it’s okay to be himself. Only a few of the characters have any sort of personality, with most of them being poorly-developed, and some so superfluous that they may as well not have existed. For example, you’ll get something along the lines of “The wolves had five pups. These were their names. Then they all died.” There is a similar rushed feeling to the whole plot – large chunks of time and important events are glossed over in a paragraph or so. Maggie, the magpie narrator, grows up, meets a mate, has chicks, sees them leave home, and decides to strike out on her own, all over the course of a few sentences. Most of this is unnecessary and could have been excluded completely.
There were a few factual errors in the book – incorrect hunting techniques, wolves using their claws/paws like cats, the author using “incisor” when he obviously means “canine”, etc. I also disliked the way the animals frequently used human words and phrases that would mean nothing to them, and used the human names for places. Many have human individual names, too. Whilst I don’t mind this for pet animals that could have been named by humans, I find it ridiculous to have wild wolves called Ben and Lucy and the like. I particularly hated the name of one of the main wolf characters, Blue Boy – wolves are not blue and don’t know what a boy is!
There were a few factual errors in the book – incorrect hunting techniques, wolves using their claws/paws like cats, the author using “incisor” when he obviously means “canine”, etc. I also disliked the way the animals frequently used human words and phrases that would mean nothing to them, and used the human names for places. Many have human individual names, too. Whilst I don’t mind this for pet animals that could have been named by humans, I find it ridiculous to have wild wolves called Ben and Lucy and the like. I particularly hated the name of one of the main wolf characters, Blue Boy – wolves are not blue and don’t know what a boy is!
February 11, 2017
This book is so magical and perfect, I don't think I'll ever stop rereading it.
When I first read Firstborn, I had had a sprung ankle and couldn't do much besides reading. I remember when my dad brought me a bag of books from Barnes & Noble one night (He'd made many trips there for books to keep me busy while I was recovering), and among them was Firstborn. The cover is what caught my attention, of course, because wolves are my favorite predator. But there was something else about it, for every time I saw it I heard beautiful and eerie music inside my head, as if the book was calling for me to read its pages. It still does, and for the third time I answered that call.
Anyway, have you ever read one of those books that seem "magical?" They have that unique quality/mood to them that enchants you, do you know what I'm saying? Like reading a vivid dream. Few books I've read are like that, but luckily Firstborn is one of them.
How do I even begin? I'm staring blankly at my computer, because it's hard to put into words how much I love this book. It shows life in such a truthful and subtle way. This may be a children's book, but it has a very important message behind it. People ask "Why does everyone keep dying?" Well, that's the wolves' lives. You think it's easy like ours? Where the only hunting we do these days is for a good restaurant or shop? It's a sad truth, I'm afraid. Firstborn isn't afraid to show life in the wolves' point of view. Alpha wolves kill each other for territory. Pups die from malnourishment or from sneaky predators. It's a very brutal life, but it's also a heartwarming one, because their life isn't all death and suffering. There's family, and loyalty, love, and beauty.
This book's so incredibly beautiful, because it shows life for wolves in an unrestricted way. This, I believe, is the wonder of children's books. They carry such amazing lessons and stories, while YA fiction today is almost all about getting the boy. We of all ages, even older than the recommended age, can learn so much from them. Firstborn teaches you that even when life is hard, with your family, you can make it through. These wolves, they don't just give up. Because they can't. Life moves on, and you have to survive and protect your family.
This book, is very sad because of this. Even when tears start to form in my eyes and my heart deflates like a pricked balloon, I still can't help but admire its honesty. Even when I say "Why did you have to kill him/her? Why can't this be happy?" the book simply shrugs and replies, "That's life." I have to agree.
It's so rare when a book like this comes along. One that both crushes and warms your heart, that is honest, beautiful, brutal, eerie, and "magical." It's makes you feel like you've been there before, and that you've met all the characters sometime in your life. That's because you have. I think I can say the same for everyone that we're all alive, and we've all experienced life, at its best and worst. You've been there before because at some point in your life you've struggled to stay afloat, that survival is the number one thing on your mind. If you haven't, you will. But you've also always had your family, who've helped you and you've done the same to them. You've met the characters before because they're YOU and your family. Maybe that's just my interpretation of the book, I don't know.
My point is, that's how unique this book is. It represents life.
Another great thing: the setting. Tor Seidler is wonderful at describing the landscape with beautiful prose, with no excessive detail, letting us use our imagination a little. He doesn't baby us, he lets us figure stuff out in a way that's wonderful. He's definitely an author to watch for; I'll be reading his other works in time.
To those of you reading my humble review: Thank you! Can you please read this book, pretty please? If this sounds like a book you'd like to read, go get it now! You won't regret it. <3
Recommended middle-grade books:
The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell
The Winter Pony by Iain Lawrence
Spirit's Key by Edith Cohn
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
Almost Home by Joan BauerAll in all, a very powerful, unique, and beautiful book that I will reread for the years to come!
March 19, 2015
Maggie the Magpie is grateful that Blue Boy the wolf has saved her from becoming a fox’s dinner, and she casts her lot with him and his pack. Each animal has a distinct personality, and the social interactions among them are intriguing if anthropomorphic. Relationships are complex, based on who saved whose life , who mates with whom, and who the alpha animal is. The importance of family solidarity is paramount as the pack battles rivals and humans. The story relies heavily on fantasy, with animals becoming embarrassed by their names, animals teaching others the meanings of English words, and animals conversing. At the same time, there are many examples of realism: wolves howl, magpies collect trash for their nests, and humans try to protect their cattle from marauding wolves. So the story is an uncanny combination of reality and fantasy, but it works, and holds the reader’s interest until the very end. The story tends to drag in places, particularly as it nears its end. The addition of an afterword on wolf behavior and the efforts to save them from extinction would be most welcome. Information on magpies could also be included in such a section. This book is an advance reader’s copy; the finished book will be available for sale on March 3, 2015.
January 18, 2022
Maggie the magpie is filled with wanderlust. Her urge to see beyond the Montana ranch of her birth brings her in contact with Blue Boy a large wolf recently brought from Canada into Yellowstone as part of the 1995 reintroduction. The small pack he forms soon develops strong bonds even with Maggie -- what wolf pack couldn't use a winged game spotter? When Blue Boy's firstborn comes out of the den, Blue Boy finds that his son is more interested in the world around him than in learning to be an Alpha wolf.
Although anthropomorphized, this novel for children is full of information about the wolves of Yellowstone in the early days of their reintroduction. Highly recommended for nature lovers. Give it to any child in grades 4 to 6 before they visit Yellowstone. It will only add to their enchantment.
Although anthropomorphized, this novel for children is full of information about the wolves of Yellowstone in the early days of their reintroduction. Highly recommended for nature lovers. Give it to any child in grades 4 to 6 before they visit Yellowstone. It will only add to their enchantment.
May 21, 2015
While I knew it was not going to be all rainbows and unicorns because it was an animal story, there was a lot of death and danger. I get that it's a survival story, but I couldn't help but get distracted and think, again? The book seems to sway from a character being unique to them being dutiful. Family ties and friendship was stressed. What I liked was the theme of forgiveness and second chances that different animals had. It's nice to show kids that people make mistakes and sometimes deserve a second chance.
February 1, 2015
The editor that spoke about this book actually started to cry when she said that Tor Seidler had been a close friend of Jean Craighead George. This is a wonderful book and I wish I could include it on my list for 3rd graders, but in this area the animal behavior is just a little too realistic for that age, so I am suggesting it for upper elementary school.
April 4, 2025
I first read this book when I was in middle school. And I remembered being so hooked to it. I recently picked it up again and couldn’t stop reading. I love the dynamic between Maggie and blueboy, I love the trust they truly have for each other.
This book really does feel magical, it just has this really unique quality that enchants you the more you read. And very few books I’ve read are like that.
This book shows life in such a real, and subtle way. It feels so natural and warm to see the world through Maggie’s eyes, her adventurous nature and this “want” to learn more about the world. This may be a children’s book but I feel like it really captures a beautiful essence of life and death in the wild. It really teaches you that even when life is hard and deserting, when it really seems like you can’t go any lower. Aslong as you have your loved ones, your family and those who you can trust in. You’ll be as invincible as blue boy himself, a wolf that never dies despite all the situations he was in.
It’s beautiful to read a book that can crush your heart but warm it up at the same time. This hook is brutal, heartfelt, magical, and suspenseful. And even tho they’re animals, it makes you relate and feel like you have experienced what they have before. Betrayal, loyalty, lies, heartbreak, jealousy etc.
I also love the idea of the map, and having tor seidler walk you through their adventures with this map, you can physically see where they trek through mountains and trails, and I love the idea of visualizing their heart wrenching adventure this way.
The only thing I’d wish is if this book was longer, and to anyone thinking of reading this book. Do it, you won’t regret it, you’ll be hooked and fall in love with Maggie and her energy.
This book really does feel magical, it just has this really unique quality that enchants you the more you read. And very few books I’ve read are like that.
This book shows life in such a real, and subtle way. It feels so natural and warm to see the world through Maggie’s eyes, her adventurous nature and this “want” to learn more about the world. This may be a children’s book but I feel like it really captures a beautiful essence of life and death in the wild. It really teaches you that even when life is hard and deserting, when it really seems like you can’t go any lower. Aslong as you have your loved ones, your family and those who you can trust in. You’ll be as invincible as blue boy himself, a wolf that never dies despite all the situations he was in.
It’s beautiful to read a book that can crush your heart but warm it up at the same time. This hook is brutal, heartfelt, magical, and suspenseful. And even tho they’re animals, it makes you relate and feel like you have experienced what they have before. Betrayal, loyalty, lies, heartbreak, jealousy etc.
I also love the idea of the map, and having tor seidler walk you through their adventures with this map, you can physically see where they trek through mountains and trails, and I love the idea of visualizing their heart wrenching adventure this way.
The only thing I’d wish is if this book was longer, and to anyone thinking of reading this book. Do it, you won’t regret it, you’ll be hooked and fall in love with Maggie and her energy.
January 7, 2023
This book is written in a rather odd style. It starts out with a magpie protagonist, Maggie, who tells the story in the first person. The first couple of chapters deal with her life, but then she meets a wolf, and the focus switches to him as he builds a pack. Maggie is still the narrator, but plays little part in the story herself, merely telling us what the wolves are doing. I honestly wondered what the point of her was – she simply does not need to be there, and the story would have made more sense, and felt more immersive, if told from the wolves’ viewpoint. If the first few chapters were eliminated and her character removed, it would have made no difference to the plot.
There are a number of extraneous wolf characters, too – we are told their names, and then nothing else about them. They have no personality and play no part in the story. Like Maggie, there seems to be no point to them at all. A smaller but more fleshed-out cast would have greatly improved things. There are also some factual errors regarding wolves, such as them using their claws to fight, dragging large prey to non-hunting pack members instead of regurgitating food for them, and the suggestion that the firstborn in a litter is always the strongest. Plus, as in so many animal stories, the animals use human terms that they’d have no way of knowing (Maggie even understands what letters are!).
I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it. Children might like it, since they’re less likely to notice the mistakes or strange style, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone over about twelve years old.
There are a number of extraneous wolf characters, too – we are told their names, and then nothing else about them. They have no personality and play no part in the story. Like Maggie, there seems to be no point to them at all. A smaller but more fleshed-out cast would have greatly improved things. There are also some factual errors regarding wolves, such as them using their claws to fight, dragging large prey to non-hunting pack members instead of regurgitating food for them, and the suggestion that the firstborn in a litter is always the strongest. Plus, as in so many animal stories, the animals use human terms that they’d have no way of knowing (Maggie even understands what letters are!).
I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it. Children might like it, since they’re less likely to notice the mistakes or strange style, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone over about twelve years old.
August 23, 2015
I have always been a fan of ficton with wolves as main characters. However, I didn't enjoy this story as much as others I have read. The narrator was a magpie, so was removed from the pack culture to a degree, and I found the sections dealing with her backstory to be boring. Even though the wolves were main characters, I felt that they weren't well developed. The highlight for me was recognizing place names from WolfQuest.
April 22, 2015
The ending was somewhast nostalgic, it's end and thats all, without a true resolution or a definitive ending, it's simply end.
I miss that, A story that was only a certain period, a certain event and then when that end, the story ends.
Pure nostalgia, but the story is very irregular, and it's goes up and down very easily.
Not a bad read in the end.
June 5, 2015
I wasn't so crazy about Maggie. I liked how Blue Boy did name his daughter after her though. I didn't feel like the plot focused on Lamar standing out. He visited the coyote but no one really challenged him. I felt like he was mostly ignored after his pup years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2015
An absorbing, rich tale of the wild exploring themes of self-acceptance, devotion, and integrity. A good book for discussing subjects of prejudice and stereotypes with readers.
Read
June 11, 2015Interesting in that the story is about a wolf but is narrated by a magpie. The story overlays quite a bit of human culture in it's animal characters.
September 14, 2017
THIS BOOK WAS INCREDIBLE!! It was probably one of the best books I've ever read. I just cannot express how much I loved it... Wow
August 11, 2019
There's a lot of wolf books, good, bad, awful, plain, and just forgettable. Where does Firstborn rank on this? You ever binge on things until you never want to read or watch another thing involving it again? That was me as a teen, I consumed wolf books and found disappointments galore. I grew weary, learned to predict every plot, grew cynical.
This is not a wolf book at heart, it's a tale about wolves told by our POV magpie and it's amazing. Not only are there birds, but so much more. It's a lovely breath of fresh air needed in a series. This book may only be three years old, but it's got a timeless feeling to it, like it could be from the eighties, nineties, or next year.
I do not blame the book for it, as it's nowhere near as bad as websites and the internet, but the "love story" interest thing involving Lamar, aka the alpha, is vastly not a thing. He wants to be friends, and seemingly grows up and accepts things. There's no real love beyond a friendship on shaky legs. So even that's not really a flaw. I expected a cheesy romance or some iffy romance subplot, but it was beyond that, an accident and guilt and the time fixing such a mistake took. A very mature theme in a small book.
A strong theme in the book is blood, relations, being true to yourself, even if you are expected to be someone else. Even if it earns you disdain and you are judged by your family. Maggie the magpie simply cannot abide by magpie ways and becomes one of the wolves in a lot of ways, Lamar is an alpha against hierarchy and the neglect of other wolves. So much within such a small book. It's breathtaking.
This is not a wolf book at heart, it's a tale about wolves told by our POV magpie and it's amazing. Not only are there birds, but so much more. It's a lovely breath of fresh air needed in a series. This book may only be three years old, but it's got a timeless feeling to it, like it could be from the eighties, nineties, or next year.
I do not blame the book for it, as it's nowhere near as bad as websites and the internet, but the "love story" interest thing involving Lamar, aka the alpha, is vastly not a thing. He wants to be friends, and seemingly grows up and accepts things. There's no real love beyond a friendship on shaky legs. So even that's not really a flaw. I expected a cheesy romance or some iffy romance subplot, but it was beyond that, an accident and guilt and the time fixing such a mistake took. A very mature theme in a small book.
A strong theme in the book is blood, relations, being true to yourself, even if you are expected to be someone else. Even if it earns you disdain and you are judged by your family. Maggie the magpie simply cannot abide by magpie ways and becomes one of the wolves in a lot of ways, Lamar is an alpha against hierarchy and the neglect of other wolves. So much within such a small book. It's breathtaking.
September 14, 2023
Maggie the magpie is filled with wanderlust. Her urge to see beyond the Montana ranch of her birth brings her in contact with Blue Boy, a large wolf recently brought from Canada into Yellowstone as part of the 1995 reintroduction. The small pack he forms soon develops strong bonds even with Maggie -- what wolf pack couldn't use a winged game spotter? When Blue Boy's firstborn comes out of the den, Blue Boy finds that his son is more interested in the world around him than in learning to be an Alpha wolf. Although anthropomorphized, this novel for children is full of information about the wolves of Yellowstone in the early days of their reintroduction. Highly recommended for nature lovers. Give it to any child in grades 4 to 6 before they visit Yellowstone. It will only add to their enchantment.
- Reviewed by Shelley F.
- Reviewed by Shelley F.
January 31, 2025
It feels like this was written by a 6th grader who loves wolves but has never written a book before. I can tell that the author knows a lot about Yellowstone and all the animal species that live there. Unfortunately, the writing is pretty bad. The pacing is confusing, the dialogue is clunky, and the descriptions are very one dimensional. I liked that the main character was a magpie, and all of her interactions with other species were fun. As a nature lover, I forgive the bad writing and round up to 3 stars.
May 23, 2017
Maggie the Magpie is dismayed to learn how silly most her family are - Maggie is the best they could do? - so she strikes up friendships with other animals: first a crow, then an alpha wolf. Attached to a pack, she has a front-row seat to the pack's adventures: bringing down buffalo, raising a litter, avoiding capture and learning that you must first be loyal to your own nature before you can be loyal to others.
September 18, 2020
My kids loved this book but it felt really flat to me. I wasn't moved by any of the characters or the storyline itself. Maybe it was the reader of the audio book version we listened to? I didn't enjoy her characterizations (very Valley girl-ish) and always felt like her take on the book didn't really match the author's intended tone. I wouldn't listen to/read this one again.
July 6, 2021
Review by M.M. : "Was an overall good book, but surprising because the whole story was told by a magpie! It had a good, meaningful story that's a little sad. Definitely a great story for wolf lovers!"
December 13, 2021
It was really fun to read one of my old teacher's books. This is definitely a charming, literary (at times quiet) middle grade book with an interesting mix of information about the animals and making them more human like. I loved seeing the world through the bird and animal POVs.
July 23, 2022
We listened to the audio version of this book multiple times when our daughter was young. She was riveted by the story and touched by the characters each and every time. Now a teenager, she requested to listen to it on a recent road trip for old time's sake. It did not disappoint, once again.
January 16, 2023
I read this aloud to my daughter and we finished it tonight. She loved it so much she told me she felt like crying because it was over and asked if there was a second book. Such a wonderful book for these two wolf lovers!
December 27, 2024
I love this book and would recommend it to any high fantasy readers or animal lovers. I did think it would have an everyone dies ending but thankfully it didn't. I love the ending which is quite touching.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2017
Velice milý a poutavý příběh o tom, jak se žije v divoké přírodě. :) Vřele doporučuji obzvláště těm, kteří mají rádi vlky a nevadí jim, že příběh vypráví straka Maggie. :)
December 5, 2017
It is a book about a Magpie living with a group of wolves.
November 2, 2019
Zaujímavý príbeh
January 5, 2020
A student informed it was the best book in the world and gave me her copy back in August... finally forced myself to read it so I could give it back. I dislike nature. And wolves. It was weird.
July 3, 2023
Got this book for my 11 year old. She read it in two days and says it deserves 30 stars so it must be great.
April 28, 2024
You know, I hate to be a hater, but I've read a lot of novels. This does not compare. I wouldn't begrudge anyone who finds it wonderful, though. God knows I have my golden cows from childhood.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews