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Wild Rescuers #1
Guardians of the Taiga
New York Times bestseller! From StacyPlays, creator of the mega-popular YouTube series Dogcraft , comes a thrilling illustrated novel about a girl raised by a pack of wolves and her quest to protect their shared forest home. The first in a new Minecraft-inspired fantasy adventure series! Stacy was raised by wolves. She’s never needed humans to survive and, from what she sees of humans, they’re dangerous and unpredictable. For as long as she can remember, Stacy’s pack of six powerful, playful wolves—Addison, Basil, Everest, Noah, Tucker and Wink—have been her only family. Together, Stacy’s pack patrols the forest to keep other animals safe, relying on her wits and each wolf’s unique abilities to accomplish risky rescue missions. But as the forest changes and new dangers begin lurking, are Stacy and the wolves prepared for the perils that await them? Fans of Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal and the Warriors series—plus shows like Ranger Bob —will love this Minecraft-inspired adventure.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published June 5, 2018
323 people are currently reading
2376 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
July 27, 2018
I normally don't review books I don't like, but this one had so many errors I felt like I should mention them. (If you're the author, I'm sorry if this seems harsh. I'm just stating facts, not trying to tear you down.) I know that this book is a kid's book, but as a kid, these errors would've annoyed me because I knew a lot about animals. I feel like the author didn't know much about animals and didn't take the time to do the research to get things right. Yes, it's fantasy, but adding a dose of realism, especially when the book is dealing with environmental issues, would really have helped my ability to enjoy the book. Here are some of the errors.
I myself live on a ranch in Montana, so I know a bit about animals, the climate, and hunting.
1. Arctic wolves are not forest animals. Their white coats help them blend into snow and tundra, but would stick out in a forest. Forests are where you're more likely to find black wolves, not white ones. (This may be mentioned in the book, but only in passing.)
2. The main character's pack doesn't hunt, so they eat fish and she supplements them with chicken and pumpkin stew. (Why killing a bunch of chickens is preferable to one deer is beyond me.) Firstly, she can't grow pumpkins in the spring. Those are fall crops. Secondly, a couple dozen chickens aren't going to feed a pack of six wolves. Wolves as big as hers should be eating seven pounds of meat a day.
3. Wolves are too small for a twelve year old to ride. These are canines, not horses.
4. You candle eggs after you've incubated them a couple days and then you can tell if they're developing. You can't tell if an egg is fertile, even if you crack it open. After the rooster dies, the eggs will be fertile for a couple weeks. (I'm also wondering how this girl was hatching the chicks since broody hens don't lay eggs.)
5. The main character rescues a black and white bunny at the start of the book. This coloration only happens in domestic breeds, but the story acts like it's a wild rabbit. If it's a domestic rabbit, she abandoned it in the wilderness.
6. The story acts like wolves only eat other canines if they're starving. Actually, wolves kill other canines to protect their territory, so they'll kill them even if they're well-fed.
7. The girl rescued a baby owl and fed it worms. Baby owls should be fed real meat, like mice and other small rodents. She also gave it water. Baby birds should never be given water. They get all they need from the food they eat.
8. The main character sees a trap and springs it. Firstly, trappers hide traps because wolves won't step in them willingly. Secondly, the purpose of a leg hold trap isn't to maim the animal, it's to hold it so the trapper can get it.
9. The wolf bounty makes little sense. The first thing to do in a situation like this is legalize wolf hunting, then the farmers and ranchers will defend their livestock. During the winter, wolf pelts are very valuable, so there's no need for a bounty. (Coyote pelts go for over fifty bucks, and wolf pelts are much higher.) Granted, pelts are worth little in the spring and summer.
10. If an injured wolf can stand, it will run from fire. Animals are a lot tougher than they get credit for.
The environmental agenda in this book is quite annoying. Why can't farmers and ranchers defend their their livestock from a pack of wolves who is moving in on the rancher's territory? The author depicts the wild as some utopia with humans being the only problem, and never shows what wolf overpopulation does to the other animals. Why not show how a pack of wolves will decimate the deer population, kill all the baby moose and elk, and eat everything before dying horribly of disease and starvation? I'd have liked to see the book address how to deal with wolf overpopulation, which is a real problem, especially if they're near human habitation.
I don't have anything against animal fantasy, but I do have a problem with it when it paints an unrealistic view of wild animals in a way that leaves humans as the only problem they face.
For good things about the book, it does have decent pacing, a sense of wonder, and the main character is clever, and the few illustrations I saw are cute.
I myself live on a ranch in Montana, so I know a bit about animals, the climate, and hunting.
1. Arctic wolves are not forest animals. Their white coats help them blend into snow and tundra, but would stick out in a forest. Forests are where you're more likely to find black wolves, not white ones. (This may be mentioned in the book, but only in passing.)
2. The main character's pack doesn't hunt, so they eat fish and she supplements them with chicken and pumpkin stew. (Why killing a bunch of chickens is preferable to one deer is beyond me.) Firstly, she can't grow pumpkins in the spring. Those are fall crops. Secondly, a couple dozen chickens aren't going to feed a pack of six wolves. Wolves as big as hers should be eating seven pounds of meat a day.
3. Wolves are too small for a twelve year old to ride. These are canines, not horses.
4. You candle eggs after you've incubated them a couple days and then you can tell if they're developing. You can't tell if an egg is fertile, even if you crack it open. After the rooster dies, the eggs will be fertile for a couple weeks. (I'm also wondering how this girl was hatching the chicks since broody hens don't lay eggs.)
5. The main character rescues a black and white bunny at the start of the book. This coloration only happens in domestic breeds, but the story acts like it's a wild rabbit. If it's a domestic rabbit, she abandoned it in the wilderness.
6. The story acts like wolves only eat other canines if they're starving. Actually, wolves kill other canines to protect their territory, so they'll kill them even if they're well-fed.
7. The girl rescued a baby owl and fed it worms. Baby owls should be fed real meat, like mice and other small rodents. She also gave it water. Baby birds should never be given water. They get all they need from the food they eat.
8. The main character sees a trap and springs it. Firstly, trappers hide traps because wolves won't step in them willingly. Secondly, the purpose of a leg hold trap isn't to maim the animal, it's to hold it so the trapper can get it.
9. The wolf bounty makes little sense. The first thing to do in a situation like this is legalize wolf hunting, then the farmers and ranchers will defend their livestock. During the winter, wolf pelts are very valuable, so there's no need for a bounty. (Coyote pelts go for over fifty bucks, and wolf pelts are much higher.) Granted, pelts are worth little in the spring and summer.
10. If an injured wolf can stand, it will run from fire. Animals are a lot tougher than they get credit for.
The environmental agenda in this book is quite annoying. Why can't farmers and ranchers defend their their livestock from a pack of wolves who is moving in on the rancher's territory? The author depicts the wild as some utopia with humans being the only problem, and never shows what wolf overpopulation does to the other animals. Why not show how a pack of wolves will decimate the deer population, kill all the baby moose and elk, and eat everything before dying horribly of disease and starvation? I'd have liked to see the book address how to deal with wolf overpopulation, which is a real problem, especially if they're near human habitation.
I don't have anything against animal fantasy, but I do have a problem with it when it paints an unrealistic view of wild animals in a way that leaves humans as the only problem they face.
For good things about the book, it does have decent pacing, a sense of wonder, and the main character is clever, and the few illustrations I saw are cute.
November 12, 2021
It was okay, but I didn't get how wolves could make fire and drag buckets of milk through the forest. I don't know, there were just some areas where the book felt pretty unrealistic and it bothered me. I won't be continuing the series just cause this isn't my kind of thing if you know what I mean.
~Rissy
~Rissy
December 4, 2018
WHAT ARE YALL TAKIN ABOUT!!! This book was the best book ever... OK ok maybe a few errors but still I also lover her YouTube channel and I met her at the book signing... I LITERALLY CAN'T WAIT AT ALL FOR THE BEST BOOK!!!I love how she found her real life dog in the middle of lava. And I love the author... I wish she were to read this review. I also love how it's based on her YouTube series Dogcraft. And I love her wolves and her cave, and the details.
October 5, 2018
I'm going to be honest. I have no idea what Dogcraft is nor who Stacy Plays is, and the only reason I even picked this up was because Minecraft was mentioned in the synopsis. Yes, I do play Minecraft sometimes, and was super into it about half a month ago.
Once I finished the book, I wasn't really sure what to think. It seemed pretty cute and interesting at first, but then it kind of grew annoying and dull as well as predictable. It wasn't hard to figure out some things that happened to Stacy, such as her past. I mean, it is cool that a girl was raised by wolves for a few years, but it just didn't necessarily sit well or seem realistic enough to me.
I caught major inconsistencies when it came to animal facts. First of all, wolves cannot survive only on pumpkin stew with bits of meat inside. They require many pounds of meat, and it really does not make sense how they even survived off of that meal. Secondly, Stacy somehow managed to grow pumpkins in her garden when it was spring. From what I know, pumpkins can only be harvested around fall, so it was way too soon to even have a full-grown pumpkin. Even I know that black and white rabbits are a domesticated breed, and there a plenty more issues that made little sense to me.
I really attempted to keep in mind is that this is fantasy, but it really would've been nice to have some realistic aspects portrayed in the book.
Stacy was an okay character, but kind of annoying to me. She somehow knew how to create items out of wood, such as chests or chairs, when I'm not sure how she would've figured that out over the course of the few years she was with the wolves. What was really horrible was how she kept saying humans were awful, and that everything is their fault in the taiga. That seemed to be the moral of the story, to be honest, because all humans totally are cruel and awful (sarcasm). I'm glad she changed her view on them a little, but I really wish the author could've actually tackled the wolf overpopulation issue a little more realistically. Even fantasy has some realism.
I have a feeling a novel like this is aimed at kids, since I heard the Dogcraft series is for them, and it could probably keep them reading since they wouldn't always care about facts (though I would imagine kids that are very fond of animals know their facts and be unimpressed). There was some violence, such as a few wolves getting shot at and injured, but this would be great for a reader ten and up.
Overall, the illustrations were cute and the writing was great, but I can't say I'm really interested in reading the next book once it releases as it was predictable for me. If anything, stick to Minecraft novels. Mark Cheverton's Gameknight999 series is exciting and fun (though I actually haven't read every title yet), and my eleven-year-old brother loved them!
Once I finished the book, I wasn't really sure what to think. It seemed pretty cute and interesting at first, but then it kind of grew annoying and dull as well as predictable. It wasn't hard to figure out some things that happened to Stacy, such as her past. I mean, it is cool that a girl was raised by wolves for a few years, but it just didn't necessarily sit well or seem realistic enough to me.
I caught major inconsistencies when it came to animal facts. First of all, wolves cannot survive only on pumpkin stew with bits of meat inside. They require many pounds of meat, and it really does not make sense how they even survived off of that meal. Secondly, Stacy somehow managed to grow pumpkins in her garden when it was spring. From what I know, pumpkins can only be harvested around fall, so it was way too soon to even have a full-grown pumpkin. Even I know that black and white rabbits are a domesticated breed, and there a plenty more issues that made little sense to me.
I really attempted to keep in mind is that this is fantasy, but it really would've been nice to have some realistic aspects portrayed in the book.
Stacy was an okay character, but kind of annoying to me. She somehow knew how to create items out of wood, such as chests or chairs, when I'm not sure how she would've figured that out over the course of the few years she was with the wolves. What was really horrible was how she kept saying humans were awful, and that everything is their fault in the taiga. That seemed to be the moral of the story, to be honest, because all humans totally are cruel and awful (sarcasm). I'm glad she changed her view on them a little, but I really wish the author could've actually tackled the wolf overpopulation issue a little more realistically. Even fantasy has some realism.
I have a feeling a novel like this is aimed at kids, since I heard the Dogcraft series is for them, and it could probably keep them reading since they wouldn't always care about facts (though I would imagine kids that are very fond of animals know their facts and be unimpressed). There was some violence, such as a few wolves getting shot at and injured, but this would be great for a reader ten and up.
Overall, the illustrations were cute and the writing was great, but I can't say I'm really interested in reading the next book once it releases as it was predictable for me. If anything, stick to Minecraft novels. Mark Cheverton's Gameknight999 series is exciting and fun (though I actually haven't read every title yet), and my eleven-year-old brother loved them!
July 27, 2018
I wanted to like this book, but it is just bad. And I refuse to give it a good rating just because my kids like the author's youtube videos.
Obviously when dealing with special wolves, you know the book takes place somewhat outside the realm of reality, but there is just so much in this book that bring up more questions than it answers. How does a young girl (also named Stacy by the way) who mysteriously shows up in the forest just have this ability to communicate with wolves? How is a wolf capable of skinning and cleaning a fish to give to a human? Or hand her a paw full of berries? And how does an 8 year old manage to figure out how to cultivate a farm and flock of chickens (the book even mentions her candling the eggs to know if they've been fertilized), to feed herself and the wolves - who don't hunt, but rely on a chicken and pumpkin stew Stacy makes them. She's also figure out bread baking (where is the flour from?) and jam making, and a wolf steals her a jar of peanut butter, so she can whip up PB&J for herself.
While I have a lot of issues with this book, my biggest issue is that it is very anti-people. Humans are the villain of the story - from the careless campers who litter the forest (though thankfully leave behind clothes for Stacy to wear as she grows, and cooking items), to the awful human need for power requiring an ugly substation be put in near the village, and the final big drama of the book, surveyors (who might be planning to put in a golf course?) spark a while fire.
But the ultimate villain of the story is hunters. They're just so terrible and careless, and selfishly hunt for sport. And gasp, not even Stacy's wolves hunt, why do humans need to hunt? I mean...apart from where Stacy (again a YOUNG GIRL) has been slaughtering chickens for her wolves (she doesn't eat the chicken herself, remember, PB&J!), and one of her wolves is a great diver, and catches fish for them all to eat...no that's all ok.
Dearest Stacy, please inform yourself about the good and important wildlife conservation that is made possible because of hunters! We need hunters - we need them to buy their hunting licenses, and game tags, those funds go straight back to conservation! And yes we even need them to cull wildlife populations, like wolves.
https://www.npr.org/2018/03/20/593001...
Obviously when dealing with special wolves, you know the book takes place somewhat outside the realm of reality, but there is just so much in this book that bring up more questions than it answers. How does a young girl (also named Stacy by the way) who mysteriously shows up in the forest just have this ability to communicate with wolves? How is a wolf capable of skinning and cleaning a fish to give to a human? Or hand her a paw full of berries? And how does an 8 year old manage to figure out how to cultivate a farm and flock of chickens (the book even mentions her candling the eggs to know if they've been fertilized), to feed herself and the wolves - who don't hunt, but rely on a chicken and pumpkin stew Stacy makes them. She's also figure out bread baking (where is the flour from?) and jam making, and a wolf steals her a jar of peanut butter, so she can whip up PB&J for herself.
While I have a lot of issues with this book, my biggest issue is that it is very anti-people. Humans are the villain of the story - from the careless campers who litter the forest (though thankfully leave behind clothes for Stacy to wear as she grows, and cooking items), to the awful human need for power requiring an ugly substation be put in near the village, and the final big drama of the book, surveyors (who might be planning to put in a golf course?) spark a while fire.
But the ultimate villain of the story is hunters. They're just so terrible and careless, and selfishly hunt for sport. And gasp, not even Stacy's wolves hunt, why do humans need to hunt? I mean...apart from where Stacy (again a YOUNG GIRL) has been slaughtering chickens for her wolves (she doesn't eat the chicken herself, remember, PB&J!), and one of her wolves is a great diver, and catches fish for them all to eat...no that's all ok.
Dearest Stacy, please inform yourself about the good and important wildlife conservation that is made possible because of hunters! We need hunters - we need them to buy their hunting licenses, and game tags, those funds go straight back to conservation! And yes we even need them to cull wildlife populations, like wolves.
https://www.npr.org/2018/03/20/593001...
May 12, 2018
**ARC courtesy of Harper Collins and Team StacyPlays**
As I was reading this book, a quote continually swirled in my head by wolf researcher, L David Mech, “The wolf is neither man's competitor nor his enemy. He is a fellow creature with whom the earth must be shared.”
Stacy definitely shares this love of wolves and their natural habitats. I really enjoyed this story filled with familiar characters (from Stacy’s YouTube series, Dogcraft), adventure, mystery, and important messages. I personally appreciated the obvious message of protecting the planet’s creatures and their natural habitats. The damage that humans are possible of causing is evident throughout, and it’s a vital message for all ages. I love that Stacy (author and character) has a great love for animals and rescuing them. I’ve watched Stacy’s videos for years now, and I’m so happy she’s entered the realm of literature. I was a bit worried when starting the book, that I’d only see it through “Minecraft” eyes. I was pleasantly surprised that that quickly dissipated in part to Stacy’s use of very descriptive language, vivid details, and wonderful imagery. You find yourself experiencing her world using all your senses. The fictional aspect intertwines with educational facts about nature, animal behavior, and even a bit of physics. When keeping the intended audience (age groups) in mind, there were some uses of vocabulary I thought maybe too advanced. However, I love that she included those words at the back of the book with definitions. What an awesome and fun way to expand kids vocabulary! All the information at the end of the book telling about the author’s real experiences with the biome field trip, wolves, and her real-life dog Page, greatly enhances the story. There are just enough illustrations to add to the enjoyment of the story, and I love the detail and style of them. I know readers who are familiar with Dogcraft and Stacy’s other videos will love the book. For those who aren’t familiar, I can see them enjoying it, too. I see the potential for a fun and adventurous series to come. Just be warned, the book ends with a few cliffhangers, and it will leave you wondering. I’m looking forward to more of Stacy’s adventures.
As I was reading this book, a quote continually swirled in my head by wolf researcher, L David Mech, “The wolf is neither man's competitor nor his enemy. He is a fellow creature with whom the earth must be shared.”
Stacy definitely shares this love of wolves and their natural habitats. I really enjoyed this story filled with familiar characters (from Stacy’s YouTube series, Dogcraft), adventure, mystery, and important messages. I personally appreciated the obvious message of protecting the planet’s creatures and their natural habitats. The damage that humans are possible of causing is evident throughout, and it’s a vital message for all ages. I love that Stacy (author and character) has a great love for animals and rescuing them. I’ve watched Stacy’s videos for years now, and I’m so happy she’s entered the realm of literature. I was a bit worried when starting the book, that I’d only see it through “Minecraft” eyes. I was pleasantly surprised that that quickly dissipated in part to Stacy’s use of very descriptive language, vivid details, and wonderful imagery. You find yourself experiencing her world using all your senses. The fictional aspect intertwines with educational facts about nature, animal behavior, and even a bit of physics. When keeping the intended audience (age groups) in mind, there were some uses of vocabulary I thought maybe too advanced. However, I love that she included those words at the back of the book with definitions. What an awesome and fun way to expand kids vocabulary! All the information at the end of the book telling about the author’s real experiences with the biome field trip, wolves, and her real-life dog Page, greatly enhances the story. There are just enough illustrations to add to the enjoyment of the story, and I love the detail and style of them. I know readers who are familiar with Dogcraft and Stacy’s other videos will love the book. For those who aren’t familiar, I can see them enjoying it, too. I see the potential for a fun and adventurous series to come. Just be warned, the book ends with a few cliffhangers, and it will leave you wondering. I’m looking forward to more of Stacy’s adventures.
May 14, 2018
Note: I was given an ARC by Harper Collins/Team StacyPlays in exchange for an honest review.
When I found out that Stacy was writing a book, I knew that it would revolve around animals as that's the first thing I think about when I think of her. What a surprise it was to find out that not only was I right but that it was a book involving some of the characters I think many of us who follow her on YouTube have become fond of.
Guardians of the Taiga is a story about a 12 year old girl named Stacy who lives in a taiga with her six wolves. But they are ordinary wolves - no, these wolves are unique. They take care of her, journey alongside of her on rescue missions and are even able to communicate with her.
Each wolf has it's own personality, which many of us Dogcraft fans are already aware of. However, it was nice to see the wolves come to life in the story as they help Stacy try to save their home from intruders - aka, the humans who are wanting to steal the land for a development.
Now I know I've mentioned Stacy's YouTube series a few times but don't let that stop you from reading the book if you aren't familiar with her beloved Minecraft series or Stacy in general. Even if I wasn't familiar with Minecraft or Dogcraft, I believe I would have found the story enjoyable. It's a quick read full of adventure and the antics of her wolves - I am particularly fond of Wink.
It looks like this may turn into a series and if so, I can't wait to pick up the next book. Also, I have to say that the vocabulary at the end was a nice touch, as was the story of Page (Stacy's real life rescue dog who is also in the story) and Stacy's field trip adventures.
I highly recommend this book for all ages, though I do think the younger readers would thoroughly enjoy it. And in the words of Stacy - go rescue a dog!
When I found out that Stacy was writing a book, I knew that it would revolve around animals as that's the first thing I think about when I think of her. What a surprise it was to find out that not only was I right but that it was a book involving some of the characters I think many of us who follow her on YouTube have become fond of.
Guardians of the Taiga is a story about a 12 year old girl named Stacy who lives in a taiga with her six wolves. But they are ordinary wolves - no, these wolves are unique. They take care of her, journey alongside of her on rescue missions and are even able to communicate with her.
Each wolf has it's own personality, which many of us Dogcraft fans are already aware of. However, it was nice to see the wolves come to life in the story as they help Stacy try to save their home from intruders - aka, the humans who are wanting to steal the land for a development.
Now I know I've mentioned Stacy's YouTube series a few times but don't let that stop you from reading the book if you aren't familiar with her beloved Minecraft series or Stacy in general. Even if I wasn't familiar with Minecraft or Dogcraft, I believe I would have found the story enjoyable. It's a quick read full of adventure and the antics of her wolves - I am particularly fond of Wink.
It looks like this may turn into a series and if so, I can't wait to pick up the next book. Also, I have to say that the vocabulary at the end was a nice touch, as was the story of Page (Stacy's real life rescue dog who is also in the story) and Stacy's field trip adventures.
I highly recommend this book for all ages, though I do think the younger readers would thoroughly enjoy it. And in the words of Stacy - go rescue a dog!
November 8, 2019
There are too many environmental errors in this book to recommend that students read it. When students read books like this they believe the facts given.
August 12, 2019
My husband and I both love Minecraft. It's one of our favorite things to do together. Either we'll play Minecraft together, or I'll watch him play it while I'm listening to an audiobook or music. Therefore when I saw that Stacy Plays was writing a Minecraft inspired book series, Wild Rescuers, I knew I wanted to read it. The first book in the series, Guardians of the Taiga, was just an okay book.
I have to admit, when first reading the book, I didn't really like it. Maybe it's because I'm not the age range it's intended for, but it seemed almost silly to me. There were several times where I had to suspend my disbelief for things going on. It kept pulling me out of the story. Stacy's wolves are more human than wolf. They do things like help her with crossword puzzles, steal newspapers for her, and other things like that. I thought this was going to be a raised by wolves story, but it didn't feel like it with all of that going on. That being said, I think the reader will discover more things about her wolves in Escape to the Mesa that will explain why those things are happening.
However, as I got farther into the book, I did find Guardians of the Taiga to be a more enjoyable read than what I was expecting. I loved Stacy's passion for animals. I've been a huge animal lover all of my life, and could relate to what she was feeling at times. It's always upset me to see animals injured. There was a certain scene towards the end of the book where I wanted to cry along with her. No animal, no matter the situation, deserves to go through that. The author did a great job of making me feel every single emotion Stacy was feeling.
Even though Guardians of the Taiga was a hit or miss for me in parts, I did find it to be a somewhat enjoyable book. I definitely plan on reading the sequel because I do think it will change my opinion on some of the things that I didn't like about the first book. I also think it will answer the questions that I have. There were quite a few things that didn't get resolved in Guardians of the Taiga that I really want answers to. I also plan on checking out Stacy Plays' YouTube channel, which I didn't know about before this book.
I have to admit, when first reading the book, I didn't really like it. Maybe it's because I'm not the age range it's intended for, but it seemed almost silly to me. There were several times where I had to suspend my disbelief for things going on. It kept pulling me out of the story. Stacy's wolves are more human than wolf. They do things like help her with crossword puzzles, steal newspapers for her, and other things like that. I thought this was going to be a raised by wolves story, but it didn't feel like it with all of that going on. That being said, I think the reader will discover more things about her wolves in Escape to the Mesa that will explain why those things are happening.
However, as I got farther into the book, I did find Guardians of the Taiga to be a more enjoyable read than what I was expecting. I loved Stacy's passion for animals. I've been a huge animal lover all of my life, and could relate to what she was feeling at times. It's always upset me to see animals injured. There was a certain scene towards the end of the book where I wanted to cry along with her. No animal, no matter the situation, deserves to go through that. The author did a great job of making me feel every single emotion Stacy was feeling.
Even though Guardians of the Taiga was a hit or miss for me in parts, I did find it to be a somewhat enjoyable book. I definitely plan on reading the sequel because I do think it will change my opinion on some of the things that I didn't like about the first book. I also think it will answer the questions that I have. There were quite a few things that didn't get resolved in Guardians of the Taiga that I really want answers to. I also plan on checking out Stacy Plays' YouTube channel, which I didn't know about before this book.
June 9, 2018
This is an incredible book! It’s about a girl named Stacy who lives in the taiga with six arctic wolves. When she was about 8 she woke up in the forest surrounded by a pack of wolves. Her memory of her past life was erased. They cared for her and made her a part of their pack. She, along with a wolf named Everest, are the pack leaders. Each wolf in her pack has so much personality! I loved the dynamics between Stacy and the wolves; they are real, three-dimensional characters. I also loved learning about the taiga and got excited about all the Minecraft references (PODZOL!!!). I really hope StacyPlays comes to Philadelphia so I can meet her and get my
book signed!
book signed!
May 12, 2019
I saw some people rate this one star and I thought how could anyone not love this book
October 26, 2020
I loved this book so much and I think a lot of people would like this book!
April 5, 2021
This was a good book. I’ve been watching Stacyplays ever since I was little; she practically raised me. This is a light, easy read. I loved the illustrations and I loved how each wolf has their own unique personality. There were a lot of factual errors though, and it honestly didn’t feel like a “raised by wolves” story because the main character only lived with the wolves for a few years and it seems more like she is taking care of them. It was very cute though, especially the idea of Page being able to communicate with the bats for animal rescues. 4.5 stars.
Read
October 8, 2020This was pretty cute, and probably if I were 10 I'd be stoked about the prospect of living in the forest with my wolf family I could communicate with lol kids who love Minecraft will enjoy all the references to the game and the expansion of the world with this story. Lots of positive environmental messages too! The glossary at the end is great for young readers and has lots of great words like crepuscular and conglomeration, and there's an interview in the back with a wolf biologist, which gives readers more insight into their natural behaviors and how they're studied.
October 24, 2020
It was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo nice! Unfortunately, I cannot get a dog in real life but I love her SOOO much on YouTube.
July 14, 2024
Read this because my niece told me to lol I can see why a younger audience would like it and it had a lot of good technical vocabulary. I think I’m just too old too really enjoy it since the magic of the premise isn’t really as interesting for my imagination now
September 5, 2023
Great book. The description is wonderful!
February 21, 2024
I absolutely loved reading this one to my kids
May 12, 2020
My daughter loves StacyPlays and animals, so she was very excited about this book. Unfortunately, she didn't like it that much. We read half of it, but it just didn't capture our attention.
January 31, 2025
Love this book! Addison and Everest are my favorites
June 8, 2020
The best book has a lot of adventure. Its so good I couldn't get out it was so good!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2023
10 year old here, I completely disagree with some of you. This was a wonderful book and I loved it. When I was younger, I liked watching her channel and wanted to try out her books so I got it as a gift. Didn't read it until a few months ago but it was beautifully written and ended up reading the other books in the series. Would recommend for kids ages 6-12 depending on what they like.
For the parents buying for their children and random older reviewers, scroll down (spoilers)
For those saying this was unrealistic and that one person who said it would've annoyed them as a kid, that's fine but I'm sure 80% of kids would not care at all. This is based off of the authors Minecraft series Dog craft which I used to watch. Pumpkins grow at anytime, wolves spawn anywhere and never need to eat. It's stated on the cover that it's about that. These wolves are also magical (said in the second book so don't let these people put you off) that's why they can carry milk buckets, light fires, read, cook ect. It's also a children's fantasy book, and as I've just said, most kids will not care AT ALL. I know I certainly didn't, infact I didn't notice a thing. For that one person who I mentioned, the wolf is able to be ridden by a twelve year old
1. Because it's a book (a children's one we can do whatever we like in them)
2. This is a super wolf with super speed.
3. In the book it has pictures of the wolves, if you look at the first books cover you can see that (bazil) the wolf she rides, is very large.
4. I understand she rides Tucker (who is smaller) but again, it's a book..
Parents, i loved this book, and as a kid, if your child doesn't mind some things being wrong, don't listen to the picky haters. If yours kid(s) love animals get this book for them. Even if they don't, just get it
Stop being insulting when you are an adult reading a kid's book...
😒
For the parents buying for their children and random older reviewers, scroll down (spoilers)
For those saying this was unrealistic and that one person who said it would've annoyed them as a kid, that's fine but I'm sure 80% of kids would not care at all. This is based off of the authors Minecraft series Dog craft which I used to watch. Pumpkins grow at anytime, wolves spawn anywhere and never need to eat. It's stated on the cover that it's about that. These wolves are also magical (said in the second book so don't let these people put you off) that's why they can carry milk buckets, light fires, read, cook ect. It's also a children's fantasy book, and as I've just said, most kids will not care AT ALL. I know I certainly didn't, infact I didn't notice a thing. For that one person who I mentioned, the wolf is able to be ridden by a twelve year old
1. Because it's a book (a children's one we can do whatever we like in them)
2. This is a super wolf with super speed.
3. In the book it has pictures of the wolves, if you look at the first books cover you can see that (bazil) the wolf she rides, is very large.
4. I understand she rides Tucker (who is smaller) but again, it's a book..
Parents, i loved this book, and as a kid, if your child doesn't mind some things being wrong, don't listen to the picky haters. If yours kid(s) love animals get this book for them. Even if they don't, just get it
Stop being insulting when you are an adult reading a kid's book...
😒
March 5, 2025
A fun, light hearted fantasy about a girl brought up in a family of wolves!
I loved these books as a 9 or 10 year old. I adored the wolf characters and thought it was a fun adventure full of my favorite things: animals, story, and heart!
Now, a few years later, I still think it a was a fun fantasy where the wolves are loyal and loving and ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AMAZING and NOT EVIL! I like all the different ecosystems and animals, however a few things bugged/confused me:
wolves are meat-eaters! I don’t think they would give up hunting because they NEED to eat meat to survive! I also don’t see how killing the chicks to eat would be any less of a problem-because at least wild prey have a chance to escape, whereas the chickens are helpless, so…I guess that leaves me a little confused. I do feel like humans were portrayed as THE ONLY PROBLEM AND ALL OF US ARE EVIL…but actually, I think Stacy (the character) realized that NOT all of us are evil and actually a lot of us are striving to help our wild and wonderful world. So maybe that was just her character arc? Oh well!
Anyway, I still love these books and definitely recommend them for middle grade animal lovers!
As a note, I haven’t watched any of StacyPlay’s videos or actually ever done Minecraft, so I don’t think that’s necessary to enjoy Wild Rescuers! (At least it wasn’t for me)
So, yeah, if you like wolves, adventure, and lighthearted rescue stories, then this could be the book for you! :)
(Just a note: I do change my reviews as I have new thoughts about these amazing stories! Sometimes I’ll add or take away, and the review will probably change slightly in the future, but the same general idea is always the same!🙂)
I loved these books as a 9 or 10 year old. I adored the wolf characters and thought it was a fun adventure full of my favorite things: animals, story, and heart!
Now, a few years later, I still think it a was a fun fantasy where the wolves are loyal and loving and ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AMAZING and NOT EVIL! I like all the different ecosystems and animals, however a few things bugged/confused me:
wolves are meat-eaters! I don’t think they would give up hunting because they NEED to eat meat to survive! I also don’t see how killing the chicks to eat would be any less of a problem-because at least wild prey have a chance to escape, whereas the chickens are helpless, so…I guess that leaves me a little confused. I do feel like humans were portrayed as THE ONLY PROBLEM AND ALL OF US ARE EVIL…but actually, I think Stacy (the character) realized that NOT all of us are evil and actually a lot of us are striving to help our wild and wonderful world. So maybe that was just her character arc? Oh well!
Anyway, I still love these books and definitely recommend them for middle grade animal lovers!
As a note, I haven’t watched any of StacyPlay’s videos or actually ever done Minecraft, so I don’t think that’s necessary to enjoy Wild Rescuers! (At least it wasn’t for me)
So, yeah, if you like wolves, adventure, and lighthearted rescue stories, then this could be the book for you! :)
(Just a note: I do change my reviews as I have new thoughts about these amazing stories! Sometimes I’ll add or take away, and the review will probably change slightly in the future, but the same general idea is always the same!🙂)
September 23, 2020
Stereotypical, silly, and ridiculous. Suspension of disbelief is non-existent in this book. Not recommended for a good read.
June 11, 2018
I really loved this book. From the way it was written to just the plot itself, this book was just all around amazing. I loved the all of the different illustrations and how Stacy loved animals the way she did in this book. I really know how Stacy feels about the forest being destroyed, and wanting to help animals. I also really like how some of the things from Dogcraft were included within this book (for instance, Basil being struck by lightning). I think that it's great that there are still so many people in the book and real life that still fight for the forest and animals' lives, and animals also have to do what they have to do to survive, and I liked how that was included, too. The way everyone fought to stop the raging forest fire and save the forest just really inspired me, and I found it just a really great book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2019
My 9 year old that has been playing Minecraft for years and watches Stacyplays on YouTube loved this book. It wasn’t as enjoyable for me, but I still gave it 5 stars. My daughter listened to this book in one evening and wishes there were more books in the series. As an adult that enjoys YA fiction, I would pass on this series. The world building in based on the Minecraft world. The main character is a 12 year old raised by wolves. She doesn’t remember her parents or know why she was orphaned. For me personally I like more character development. This one just left me saying “That’s not how this works”. 5 stars for the target market.
February 5, 2020
If you don't know the author's YouTube Minecraft world the book has a lot of holes and doesn't always explain things. If you are a fan of her Dogcraft videos, you'll probably love it. I'll let you guess which group I'm in.
January 22, 2022
I read the book “Wild Rescue rs” by Stacy Hinojosa. The four book series is about a girl named Stacy, who lives with six wolves. The book is about 200 pages and would best fit into the fiction genre. In book one, we learn about her past, what got her to where she is, and how she met the wolves, which are named Everest, Addison, Basil, Wink, Tucker, and Noah, along with one of her real life pets, Page. In order for her to make her wolves realistic, she had to interview a wolf expert named Sandra Oestreicher. We also learn about the biome she was in, which for this book is the taiga. The book has simple language for younger readers to understand, but when she adds bigger words, she explains them. Some major themes of the book are to help protect the environment, and help animals in need. The overall purpose of the book is that we need to protect the forests. Minor themes of this book are, friendship, compassion> By the way, Russians use the same language for the forest. Some things I liked about the book is that it’s based off of her YouTube series dogcraft, which so far has over 300 episodes, she makes the words easy to understand, can make the book fun to read, makes it seem realistic with whatever is happening, whether that be keeping wolves safe, or wildfires, how it’s written, and the adventure in every book of this series, who she interviewed to make it possible. Another reason why I like it is because she also adds her real life pets into it, like her 2 dogs and her two cats, along with using her book to teach facts within biology. For example, fawns are born with no scent to protect them from predators. I would recommend this book if you like adventure, fiction, simple language, helping the environment, learning about the environment, learning about different species, different biomes, or a cliffhanger at the end of book one, hinting at what you will find out in book two. For example, Stacy is wondering why she is afraid of helicopter noises. I like how Stacy is a good author by trying to keep people engaged in her books by leaving them on cliffhangers, and describing what was going on around her, example in book 3 she writes. “Then she pulled out her quiver of bows,
July 6, 2022
"I just finished pre-reading, 'Wild Rescuers Guardians of the Taiga' book 1, it is a minecraft inspired series about an 11 year old girl that has been living with a wolf pack that can that can magically communicate with her in a way, she has been there since she was 8 years old and awoke to the wolf pack, and had no previous memories of her previous life but remembered how to speak, read, build, and everything else. She, like a wild wolf, has a fear of humans and belief that they are dangerous like hunters and destructive like landclearers, and mean to the environment like campers leaving garbage and animals can get hurt from it, she ends up meeting some nice humans, as she calls them, and it makes her start to wonder if they arent so bad maybe. The wolves do steal things for her as gifts and she tries to get them not to but they dont always listen and dont seem to realize stealing is bad. She lies to them once when she didn't want to worry them. The girl takes dangerous risks to save animals even putting her life at risk though not completely reckless but in a planned dangerous way that she think will work. so I explained to my daughter that to this wild wolf girl she feels like a an animal and that it is like if she were a firefighter saving a child, risking their life in a calculated way. There is a hinted at reference at her reading a Harry Potter book to her wolves. It was how she read them a book she had been saving about a young wizard going to a wizard school. She says in the back of the book she thanks her mom for introducing her to Harry Potter. She has vocabulary in the back of the book, what it means and the sentence it was in in the book. She has an interview style piece asking questions to a wolf expert she had met and had pictures of wolves. I looked up about the author to find out some info about her to see if she may want to slip agenda in later book, and i found it says she is LDS. It was such a clean, fun, adventurous book, and they wasn't negative talk, bickering, and sass. In fact in one part she said she kinda hated bats, and yet when she saw more again later she said well at least they eat the mosquitos. Wild Rescuers: Guardians of the Taiga (Wild Rescuers, 1) https://a.co/d/i1YJBPv"- Conservative Momma's Book Reviews
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October 2, 2020Wild rescuers: Guardians of the taiga is everything I could’ve asked for in a book and more! This book is very detailed, a fun read, and an excellent story for all ages.
First, Wild Rescuers: Guardians of the Taiga is very detailed. This book uses the best word choice possible in the sentence, to allow the reader to engage fully with the material that they are reading, and to connect us to the characters in the story. For instance, instead of using simple terms in the story like: combined, twisted, and small, Stacy (the author of the book) substitutes common words for more entertaining words that capture the situation exactly like: conglomeration, entwined, and diminutive. Also if ever you have trouble understanding or pronouncing a difficult word in the book, you can just flip to the back and after the main story there is a section that is titled, “ Stacy’s Favorite Words from the Book.” In this section it has the definition of the difficult words, and a sentence example in the margin underneath the definition. This book is just dripping with interesting characters, story, and atmosphere.
Next, this book is a fun read. Like I mentioned in the previous section, this book is just dripping with an amazing story that just brings this world to life. I’m not going to mention much, for spoiler reasons, But let me just say that this story is thrilling, full of adventure, and interesting!
Finally, This book is an excellent story for all ages. Even though at first the cover of this book looks like something for a child, this is just simply not the case. This book is an excellent novel, and the story can be enjoyed by all ages.
Overall This is one of the best novels I’ve ever read in my life. From the interesting characters, the engaging story, and the overall word choice and presentation is outstanding. Also if you loved this book as much as I did, you’re in luck! Stacy Hinojosa currently has two other books after this one in the series, and she is currently writing a fourth book. To anyone who is looking for another great book to read, I’d highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to you.
First, Wild Rescuers: Guardians of the Taiga is very detailed. This book uses the best word choice possible in the sentence, to allow the reader to engage fully with the material that they are reading, and to connect us to the characters in the story. For instance, instead of using simple terms in the story like: combined, twisted, and small, Stacy (the author of the book) substitutes common words for more entertaining words that capture the situation exactly like: conglomeration, entwined, and diminutive. Also if ever you have trouble understanding or pronouncing a difficult word in the book, you can just flip to the back and after the main story there is a section that is titled, “ Stacy’s Favorite Words from the Book.” In this section it has the definition of the difficult words, and a sentence example in the margin underneath the definition. This book is just dripping with interesting characters, story, and atmosphere.
Next, this book is a fun read. Like I mentioned in the previous section, this book is just dripping with an amazing story that just brings this world to life. I’m not going to mention much, for spoiler reasons, But let me just say that this story is thrilling, full of adventure, and interesting!
Finally, This book is an excellent story for all ages. Even though at first the cover of this book looks like something for a child, this is just simply not the case. This book is an excellent novel, and the story can be enjoyed by all ages.
Overall This is one of the best novels I’ve ever read in my life. From the interesting characters, the engaging story, and the overall word choice and presentation is outstanding. Also if you loved this book as much as I did, you’re in luck! Stacy Hinojosa currently has two other books after this one in the series, and she is currently writing a fourth book. To anyone who is looking for another great book to read, I’d highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to you.
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