Bringing Back the Wolves: How a Predator Restored an Ecosystem

by Jude Isabella, Kim Smith (Illustrations)

An unintended experiment in Yellowstone National Park, in which an ecosystem is devastated and then remarkably rehabilitated, provides crucial lessons about nature’s intricate balancing act. In the 1800s, hunters were paid by the American government to eliminate threats to livestock on cattle ranches near Yellowstone National Park. They did such a good job that, by 1926, no gray wolf packs were left in the park. Over the following decades, virtually every other part of the park’s ecosystem was affected by the loss of the wolves — from the animals who were their prey, to the plants that were the food for that prey, to the streams that were sheltered by those plants — and the landscape was in distress. So, starting in 1995, in an attempt to reverse course, the government reintroduced gray wolves to the park. Over time, animal populations stabilized, waterways were restored and a healthy ecosystem was recreated across the land. It’s a striking transformation, and a fascinating tale of life’s complicated interdependencies. Jude Isabella’s thoroughly researched, expert-reviewed text and Kim Smith’s beautiful nature art bring science to life in this captivating story of renewal. Readers will recognize just how complex an ecosystem is and learn about the surprising interconnectedness of its members. Biodiversity, ecosystems, the food chain, habitats, needs of living things and the importance of human stewardship of the environment are all covered through this real-life example, offering direct links to earth and life science curriculums. Food web infographics help reinforce the information. A glossary and index add to the book’s usefulness.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Animals, Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Environment

40 pages, Hardcover

Published March 3, 2020

About the author

Jude Isabella has written for The Walrus, Nautilus, Slate, New Scientist, the Loh Down on Science, Medical Post, WILD Magazine, Archaeology Magazine, BC Magazine, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Spirituality and Health Magazine, and The Tyee, focusing on science, health, and the environment. She also spent more than a decade as the managing editor of YES Mag, the Science Magazine for Adventurous Minds.

She also writes science books for kids. Her book Fantastic Feats and Failures, published by Kids Can Press, won the American Institute of Physics award for writing in the children’s category. They gave her an engraved Windsor chair, the best award ever.

Reviews

[aarya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do I normally read picture books? No. Do I normally read media geared toward kids? No. Do I love wolves? Hell, yeah. Which is why I requested this arc of a children's picture book on a whim from Edelweiss. 😂

I honestly am not sure how to review this because all the necessary info is in the blurb. I will say that it's a must-read for wolf-lovers such as myself. Every page just confirms my most fervent and long-held belief: wolves are the most majestic creatures to walk on this planet and our environment would collapse without them. :P

In all seriousness: this is short, beautifully illustrated, and informative. Lots of diagrams and explanations about how the absence/reintroduction of wolves affected every inch of the Yellowstone ecosystem. Also the wolf pup illustrations were very cute, and we all know that impacted my rating the most. I did think there was a bit too much text per page; it took away from the beautiful drawings and is better suited for an older child.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated book that gives kids an in depth look at what happened to Yellowstone when the government encouraged people to hunt the wolves there and they were eliminated from its ecosystem. That loss affected everything else in the park, from plants to animals. The book tells the story of what happened then and what happened when they were reintroduced. It's full of really detailed information about all of the species in Yellowstone, wolves, and how they all affect each other. Better suited for older kids who enjoy independent reading.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Go wolves!

Interesting subject matter and pretty pictures help offset occasionally dry and dull text.

Wolves are awesome! Beavers are awesome! Ravens are manipulative jerks.

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very wordy. I would only recommend for children or adults who have a pre-existing interest in wolves and/or ecology, and for most members of that group the information will be review. Nevertheless, the book is informative and the pictures are adorable. Not only the wolves, but everything from beavers to bison is really cute. Be sure to flip back and forth between the spreads at the beginning and end of the book showing the same scene in Yellowstone before and after the return of the wolves to see all the changes.

*edit*
For a much more appealing as a picture book, though less current, option, I recommend The Wolves Are Back

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great look at how the disappearance of gray wolves from Yellowstone National Park was devastating to the ecosystem and how decades later the reintroduction of them restored it. The story offers excellent lessons about essential interconnectedness of the natural world, and the importance of human stewardship of the environment.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bringing Back the Wolves - How A Predator Restored An Ecosystem explains about the history of the wolf in the Yellow Stone National Park in the US. From the hunting of wolves in the 1800s and the result this had on the Park to the reintroduction of wolves in 1995, this book explores the impact of an apex predator and how the Park has changed since the wolves have returned.

There is a wonderful sense of nature fixing its self as this book clearly steps out the impact of the wolves. Bringing Back the Wolves does a fantastic job of clearly and simply articulating the complex relationships involved and the intricacies of the impacts.

The illustrations are delightfully beautiful. Despite this book being about predators and prey, hunting and killing for food, the illustrations are nicely sanitised. There are wolves howling, running, watching, and even standing in a tight circle around something you can’t see, but there are no images of blood, carcasses, dead or injured animals, or of the hunt itself. This makes this book appealing to younger children or more sensitive readers, without shying away from the facts. Food chains and webs are used to highlight the prey and predator relationship. The illustrations are full colour, using soft and vibrant tones to bring the animals, trees, and backdrop to life. Some pages have the illustration sitting on the next page, others are full spread images with the text integrated into the picture. There are also illustrated call-out boxes that feature interesting facts or further explain how the ecosystem works.

There is a lot of text in this book. The book reads a little like a story and flows from one page to the next, with hooks to keep the reader engaged and help the information flow to the next page. This gives the book a more story-like feel, rather than traditional non-fiction text. The writing is evocative and aptly conveys the importance of each part of the ecosystem. Headings and information boxes are still used to help readers find their way through and back to the information they might be seeking, but the book is best read from cover to cover.

The book includes a thorough glossary and index, as well as resources for further reading.

A beautiful and important book that illustrates and explains the importance of the natural order of ecosystems and the role apex predators.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great description of the 1995 reintroduction of wolves into the ecosystem of gorgeous Yellowstone National Park. The author covers the ill effects that the absence of this keystone species had on the park as well as the renewal of the system as the wolves begin to thrive. Each section details one species and the problems when wolves are not present and the improvements when they are. While the illustrations are beautiful, the important message of a healthy and balanced ecosystem would have had more impact if photographs had been used. Given the almost cartoon like drawings/watercolors, the target audience is likely grades 4-6, but the text is dense and the vocabulary level high which may be off-putting to many in that age group.

[Etienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good documentary about bringing back wolf into a specific ecosystem but also explaining very well how it affect this system and just how everything is way more connected then we might think. Good job!

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad that I requested this book from Netgalley, as I have discovered a book that I plan to buy over and over for all the children and babies in my life.

Bringing Back the Wolves - How A Predator Restored An Ecosystem is a smart, beautiful book that teaches the reader about the history of the wolf in the Yellowstone National Park. It begins in the 1800s when the wolves were hunted, explains why wolves were eventually eradicated from the park, and why they were reintroduced in 1995. It explores all the reasons the ecosystem was thrown off balance when the wolves were removed. The artwork is beautiful and moving. Some pages were things I would frame and hang on the walls in a child's bedroom!

The book is clear and concise and eloquent. There is a great deal of information here and I think that children (and adults) would learn more with each reread. Many pages have little boxes with lots of factual information including charts and graphs. Some pages are filled with text and others are fully covered in art. The book should probably be read from cover to cover on first reading, but I can see kids sitting down and studying particular sections learning to use the glossary.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who like the Ted Talk "How Wolves Change Rivers" this is a nice reading companion, especially if you have children who don't want to sit through a talk.

The book gives a nice introduction as to what the problem was before exploring the character of the wolf and its pack. From there the reader is taken on an individual or group collective exploration of the various effects of the reintroduction whether it is on specific animals, plants or even the audio experience of Yellowstone.

The illustrations themselves were a bit cartoonish for the animals but otherwise they were brightly colored and detailed. Quite a wonderful addition to the book itself, especially with the various webs to emphasize the relationships.

All in all a great little book that will help readers to understand the strength of relationships in nature, cause and effect and just how necessary each species is. A must-read for those who like nature and/or are wanting to visit Yellowstone.

***I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***

[Mrs. Mazzola · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a digital arc of this book from Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review**

This book is about the reintegration of wolves into Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s to restore the natural ecosystem and balance in the park. The book is packed with good information, with sidebars and well-labeled illustrations explaining some of the challenging topics. And although the books is illustrated, it still felt realistic and engaging. My only problem with the book is that it is unclear who the intended audience is for the book as a whole. The concept, illustrations, and length indicate a solidly middle grade audience, but the prose, though often lyrical and beautiful, is quite challenging, better suited to an adult reader. Although it was enjoyable, I don't think it would be a great fit for my library collection at this time.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fascinating book tells how the banishing of wolves from Yellowstone Park in the 1920s caused the elk herds to grow so much that their eating habits meant that certain trees and other plants started disappearing (by over-eating), which drove away a variety of other creatures. Then, how bringing the wolves back into the park started healing the environment in many ways, primarily by culling the elk herds to sustainable numbers, which helped more trees and other plants to grow, which attracted back the animals that had left, etc. The author also gives a lot of information about food chains and food webs. The back matter includes a glossary, index, bibliography, and website list.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and beautifully written nonfiction text describing cause-and-effect relationships between the reintroduction of wolves and a balanced ecosystem. Would be perfect for teaching text structure!

[Brenda Kahn]

Succinctly written, beautifully illustrated.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unable to read this as an ebook, but found it impressive as a book.

Details the problems that Yellowstone had when its top predator was eliminated and the recovery after the wolves reintroduction. How, the elk population decreased and allowed the aspen trees to recover and the beaver to return, changing the water table creating more habitat for willows, attracting more fish, birds, ducks, muskrats, geese, frogs, insects and turtles. Also how the coyote population decreased and fox and raptor population expanded. How the wolves also help the bear populations.

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is beautiful! I loved the art style and it was informative without being too complicated for a young reader, I plan to share this one with my 6 year old and think she will love it. The non-fiction as narrative is something I expect her to like, because it kept it from being just blocks of dry facts and made it feel like a story. This really drives home how interconnected animals and plants are, and how important just one species can be, if lost.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to show the connections just one animal can have in the habitat. Good to show how animals and climate can affect an area.

[Maya]

I picked up this book for my child who is studying nonfiction in school, and was excited to read it myself for the content and because I really liked author Jude Isabella's "The Red Bicycle," which I read late last year.

Unfortunately, this book was problematic. Its overarching issue is that it is written without an awareness of the way children receive, processes, and retain complex information. It is overly technical, filled with scientific terms that most adults wouldn't know (or have never heard), and storylines that did not flow smoothly throughout the book. Terminology such as: trophic cascade, ungulates, riparian zones, and mesopredator release hypothesis do not help its cause.

The author's voice shifts and changes throughout, giving the impression that the book has multiple authors with varying perspectives and expertise. At different times it reads as if it were written by a children's book author and then later by someone with an advanced degree in ecology who has difficulty distilling ideas for a lay audience.

Additionally, while the overall thread of the story is meant to be the impact of repopulating wolves in Yellowstone Park, you can't see the forest for the trees. While I came to the book an interested and engaged reader, I lost the strands of the plot multiple times throughout. It tries to do way too much instead of focusing on key facts of import with highlights in the sidebar. With some sharp editing, the book could be vastly improved.

My highest praise for this book is that Kim Smith's illustrations are stellar.

Alternate recommendations:
- "How Wolves Change Rivers," a short video (4.5 minutes) viewed by almost 43 million people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5O...
- "Wild Horse Winter" by Tetsuya Honda, a thrilling read about wild horses on a small Japanese island (true story)

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bringing Back the Wolves
Jude Isabella
Non-fiction
Juvenile

All of life is connected and when you change one thing it changes everything around it. The people in Yellowstone National Park found this out first hand when they returned the wolves to the park. They learned that many creatures and plants need to have the wolves there to survive.
I truly enjoyed this non-fiction story and I don’t usually read non-fiction. I thought that the information was well presented in the way that the language was at the right level for the recommended readers. There weren’t too many big words that kids would not understand. Also, if a child did not understand a word there is a great glossary in the back. My favorite part of this book was the illustrations. They are so well done that they took my breath away when I first started reading.
I only have two things that I didn’t enjoy as much. The first was the size of the print. I felt the print was pretty small. I understand that it made more room for the gorgeous artwork but it made it hard for me to read and for anyone else who might have a hard time reading small print. The other thing I found difficult was that at times I felt like the author was talking about one thing in the ecosystem and the next there was a little blurb about something random that could have gone much better in another spot without confusing readers.
All in all though this is a fantastic book that I think will be a good fit for classrooms and libraries alike. Also if you have a child who loves to read non-fiction then this is a good choice.

I received a free ecopy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

[Lorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food webs are complicated things, removal of one species effects the health and diversity of all the players. This beautiful book explores the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park. The wolf along with other apex predators had been hunted to extinction to reduce predators for cattle raised on ranches outside the park. In 1995, the decision was made to bring the wolves back specifically with goal of thinning out the elk herds which had grown out of control. Now, after 25 years of reintroduction the health of the environment inside the park has balanced back and the diversity of life has returned.

Using a hybrid picture book and non-fiction approach the information presented appeals to both younger and older readers with the target age of about 8-12 years of age. It approaches this in a way that anyone can read and learn from by taking us on a journey. In the beginning, there is a spread labeled Silence in the Valley which talks and shows the overgrowth of the elk population and what that has done to the park, it has made it a quiet and sterile landscape. There are only elk in the accompanying illustration. But, by the end of the book we are shown a much different illustration of the same vista in the spread labeled Mending the Web. In this image, the elk are still there along with all the other species that the wolves have helped bring back to the park.

This title is a must for all ecosystem collections and would make a great primary text for a unit on the subject or one on biodiversity. I would highly recommend this book for purchase by any school or public library.

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bringing Back the Wolves is a children's nonfiction picture book that has all the right elements. It is a book I would hold up as an example as to what makes a nonfiction book geared toward children effective. This book contains clear information that is also organized logically. It contains a nice narrative through what feels like a mini-chapter-book, and includes cutouts and infographics for further detail (e.g. a Yellowstone food web). The illustrations are engaging and playful, with none of the pages being too distracting/busy. I will say this does contain a lot of text for a picture book, so note that this is aimed at children 8-12 years old. When there are nonfiction books aimed at this age, I do generally prefer that at leas some pages include real photos or more realistic illustrations.

That said, the subject matter and execution make this for an excellent read and one children will remember!

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book by Kids Can Press. Opinions are my own.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book about wolves and their role in the ecosystem. When wolves were hunted in Yellowstone Park in the late 1800's, until there were no wolf packs left. Their absence had an increasingly negative "domino" effect.
In this book, divided under 18 headings, the story is told in a clear detailed way and in wonderful illustrations. There are astounding details about other animals, too, and a glossary in the back.

Bottom line - wolves do their part to balance the ecosystem. They are essential and amazing animals.

Table of Contents:
An Unintentional Experiment;
Taming the Wild;
The Food Web;
Silence in the Valley;
Portrait of a Wolf ...;
And Its Pack;
A Predator Moves in;
An Ungulate Buffet;
Tree Transformation;
Business as Usual for Bison;
Canids in the Middle;
Sky Full of Predators;
Feathered Frenemies;
Grizzled Giants...;
And Creeping Crawlies;
The Valley Sings Again;
The Return of the Beaver;
Mending the Web.

[Amanda Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love it when a non fiction book is as entertaining as fiction--this book can be read for information or just for fun. It talks about why Yellowstone lost its wolves years ago, how the lack of wolves affected the ecosystems and then what happened when wolves were re-introduced. When other books talk about ecosystems, they talk about the theory of what might happen if part of the ecosystem were to disappear. This book has actual proof of what did happen when the wolves disappeared. It's a much better way to learn the cause and effect of all the levels of the ecosystem affected by one missing piece.

[GNRLibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can the removal of a single species in a space as large as Yellowstone National Park have an impact on grass? On insects? On the streams? The answer is a definite yes, as Isabella explains in this fascinating true story of an ecosystem. Explained systematically but with the flow of a storyteller, the author walks readers through each step of the impact the park suffered once the wolves were gone. What feels like a huge tangled web of connections is clearly explained in a way that each consequence feels a little like a surprise. For readers who care about the environment, are interested in life science, or enjoy nature, this book is a must read.

[Trey Burley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The combination between the art and text in this book is just perfect. It tells the non-fiction story of why wolves were removed from Yellowstone, its impact on the ecosystem, and how the area recovered once they were re-introduced.
It's educational while being entertaining, and does it without preaching or making readers feel bad about mistakes that were made in the past.
The text is on level for middle elementary readers and up.
The art is playful, realistic and measures up for those older readers, without being something that younger readers won't find interesting.
This is STEM for kids who don't think they'll like STEM.

[Karen McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fantastic nonfiction book is full of great information and beautiful illustrations. I was pleasantly surprised with the depth of the information and challenge of the vocabulary. This will be a fantastic book to study with our Web of Life science unit in 5th grade. Each section is s rich, we will probably break it up into several lessons. I love how the ideas connect as the impact of the return of the wolves ripples through the ecosystem. I am also thinking of using some of the sections for repeated readings and fluency work because the word choices and writing is so strong. Highly recommend!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wolves are back in Yellowstone! But, what does that mean for the land and animals still there? Reintroducing the gray wolf set off a chain reaction throughout the park. This book explains in child-appropriate vocabulary and depth the very real effects this had on the land and its communities.

For those who love wolves, nature, and/ or are learning about food webs this book is a great resource. It is well researched and presented in appealing illustrations. Younger kids will love the art, older elementary to middle school will understand the connections and the science.

Highly recommend it!

#BringingBacktheWolves #NetGalley

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely picture book for older kids (or adults) about the effects of reintroducing wolves into Yellowstone National Park, an ecosystem devastated by the systematic killing of apex predators in the late 1800s. There were a few spots where I felt like a little additional content would have been helpful, or at least don’t leave me hanging and searching for where the story thread picks back up. But overall an excellent book for anyone who wants to know more about the critical and sometimes surprising effects keystone species like wolves have on their environments.

[Ardyth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very dense. Some people will love that, but our 9yo just zoned out -- even when I tried reading just a couple pages at a time.

It's a very interesting story & I wish this exploration pf food webs had worked for us, but it just didn't.

We're having more success (both engagement and retention) with Magic Schoolbus Food Chain Frenzy.

[Ilse O'Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is packed with facts and information about the ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park. Most kids will pick up this book and browse it, rather than read it cover to cover. Kids would benefit from having some guidance to work through this text to get the full effect. I think it has it's highest appeal in grades 3-5, but most kids that age won't have the stamina to read it in its entirety and understand it on their own. But it will be invaluable for kids interested in animals and nature. The author did an immense amount of research for this, and presents so much information.