Call of the Wild

by Neil Kleid, Alex Niño (Illustrator), Jack London

The classical animal tale of Buck, the majestic dog who is stolen from his home in California and sent to work in the harsh world of the Klondike during the gold rush. In the frozen wastelands of the North, Busk lives by the crack of the whip and the blow of the club. But his story is one of love and loyalty between man and beast.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fiction, Classics, Animals

176 pages, Library Binding

Published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 1 out of 5]

The elements of the story are there, the guts of the book that showcases how graphic novels that are adapted from classic/originals are usually fabulous because of their interpretation of the important aspects of the story-- for this reason, it's wonderful. But the choice of illustration is too mangled for me to truly recommend it. We have a group of ENL kids reading the book for class and I thought this would be a great addition to help with- but visually the fast and loose nebulous figures loose too much and busy the pages ESPECIALLY when it's all in black and white.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A forgotten classic that a young teen and I did as a Messenger Bookclub. It was interesting hearing her views on Buck and his life. I enjoyed it as a graphic novel as well .

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucas Pires Morais
Ms.White
Independent Reading
6th October 12
The Call of the Wild: Graphic Novel
By Neil Kleid, Classic Fiction, 148 Pages
This graphic novel adaption of Jack London’s The Call of the Wild is a fantastic adventure based around the drastic change in the life of a dog named Buck. I like how the author does not try to make the dogs seem human, but keep them as animals, yet you can understand all their thoughts and points of view based on their actions. Buck was always pampered by his Master, Judge Miller, who lived in a posh country house. One day, a gardener at Judge Miller’s house steals Buck and sells him to some dog traders. Once gone, Buck is then sold to two other new Masters and they take him into the wild, in the cold Northern Canada, where he and other vicious dogs of similar breeds are to carry sleds for mail deliverymen. Buck then goes around and along the way, his masters are always changed. While travelling in the wild, Buck starts developing his true animal side and the old civilized Buck is left behind as he is now a free and vicious dog too, always bloodthirsty and ruthless. When his most beloved master, Thornton, is killed by Yeehat Indians, Buck becomes free and kills all the Indians to avenge his master, and then becomes a legend amongst all the wolves and dogs in the Arctic and he is feared by the Indians all around. Again, reading this book as a graphic novel helped me understand the story more and although the pictures were not the best, it was still comprehensible and fairly easy to follow.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story was decent, which didn't have much to do with the comic at all. I could get the same and more from just reading the actual book. In this media, visuals are vital. They're everything. You have to be able to tell characters apart, including specific coloration or variations in shape/design. This book completely failed to deliver. The drawings were chicken scratchings at best, color patterns didn't stay consistent, especially on the wolves - they morphed into Buck look-alikes. None of the dogs matched their sketches in the slightest and it would have been much better if they had, so I could at least tell them apart. They modified the story to suit the storytelling, but I noticed they didn't do much to clarify things when the humans spoke... I found myself hardly glancing at the images and just reading the story, like an abridged version of the real thing.

[Amber Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up at an estate sale and thought I'd read it since I could picture Harrison Ford as one of the characters. It was a bit difficult to get into because of the lack of dialogue (it's all from the dog's perspective and they don't talk to each other like they do in Bambi), but I like the rich vocabulary found in older fiction. Although when Hal cussed, he said "Rest be blanked," yes, actually "blanked," which was the funniest thing in the story for me. It was also interesting how John Thornton was the only character with a first and last name. His name was never said out loud by anyone, only the narrator, but I assume it was to forshadow his significance to Buck. I prefer The Incredible Journey over this story because it's more light-hearted, but who can pass up sentences like this: "With the aurora borealis flaming coldly overhead, or the stars leaping in the frost dance, and the land numb and frozen under its pall of snow, this song of the huskies might have been the defiance of life, only it was pitched in minor key, with long-drawn wailings and half-sobs, and was more the pleading of life, the articulate travail of existence."

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy crap! I remember this being kind of a YA book. But it starts out pretty brutal. No wonder my son stopped reading it after I checked it out of the library for him. It’s horrifying, really.

Then things turn up. And you feel the power of the triumphant story. Until things turn brutal again.

It’s a rough book. But it’s intense, and it’s good.

[Pandamonium · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel made me want to read the original book. I won't comment the story until I read it because I think it is more profound that what you see at first glance : a beautiful tale taking place in a beautiful and sauvage place, the Arctic. The drawing is good and goes well with the story.

[Ranee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed from the library for my 12 year old but I don’t think he’ll finish it. Read it quickly through. The pictures themselves weren’t my favorite and the story not really meant for cutting up. Others might like it

[Sarah]

Read for an 8th Grade independent reading project, so I won't be rating it.

I did find that the drawings were incredibly vague and at times, impossible to decipher - a critique shared by some of the students that I work with.

[Marguerite Corbett · Rating 2 out of 5]

This always shows up on lists of books you need to read, and influential classics. I'd never read it, though I know a lot had to read it in school. I'm glad I wasn't forced to spend weeks of class time in this depressing book. This is definitely not being added to my daughters English curriculum.

[Sara Feldhaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just found this at the library bookstore and knew I had to have it. I honestly like this better than the original, which is crazy. But this adaptation was done so well, I'd read this to my kids if it wasn't so violent, oh and if I had any kids.

[Teddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book a long time ago with my dad, and I really like it! I'd highly recommend it to people who like dogs or wolves. [Why am I getting serious "Balto" vibes from the cover?]

[Lara Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the novel as a kid, but I didn't remember it being quite this violent and sad! I guess I'm more sensitive now. The art style was okay. Not a bad adaptation, but it didn't blow me away.

[Erin Field · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winter Challenge 2023-24

[Frank Racz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel adapts nicely for those who are familiar with the Jack London novel. For readers who are unfamiliar with the London book or are reluctant readers the illustrations work nicely with the chosen text. Overall the illustrations are somewhat dark and primitive.

The Call Of The Wild had probably been made into more adaptations than any book by an American author. There are children's versions of the book that can teach young readers about kindness and empathy. Young adult versions begin immersing readers into important aspects of the outcomes of certain characters behavior within the work. This graphic novel fits along these parameters.

I understood what made these characters go into the wilderness in search of gold. What is critical beyond this point of literary comprehension are the darker forces of naturalism London worked with in portraying a protagonist dog who would survive in a setting where only the strongest would survive.

The illustrations cater to the prose backdrop, so a young reader can actually immerse themselves into London's world of naturalistic forces without having a "formal/literary" sense of how realism or naturalism work in literature. Because of this key aspect giving the book five stars was easy.

As a future educator I would not shy away from using this work within an English classroom. Young readers would gain so much from reading this book. As someone who once scoffed at the benefits of graphic novels this book certainly was a "game changer."

[Cindy Huskey · Rating 2 out of 5]

A classic tale of adventure, survival, and an abused dog’s journey to becoming a legend. Now, let’s add some pictures to it and maybe that will make the story more exciting, right? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.



Here’s the thing: the art is fine—solid, even. But this story? Buck’s struggles, his rise to power, his eventual transcendence into the wild… it’s all still as soul-crushingly slow and unremarkable as it was in the original novel. I mean, sure, there are some cool pictures of snow and dogs and sleds, but that doesn’t magically make me care about Buck’s emotional journey, which, let’s be real, is basically just a dog going through a series of unfortunate events while being abused by humans.

I tried to give it a fair shot, thinking, “Maybe this will be better with visuals!” Well, no. It’s still a drawn-out saga of a dog suffering and getting stronger, and then bam—wild freedom. Thrilling. I know we’re supposed to feel Buck’s transformation, but I just kept waiting for something interesting to happen. Instead, I got lots of snow and long, bleak moments of Buck looking soulful in the cold. If I wanted to feel that much emotional emptiness, I’d rewatch my favorite reality TV show.

So, two stars for the art (because credit where it’s due), but as for the story? Still a snoozefest, even with pictures. Maybe next time we could illustrate something that doesn’t make me want to curl up and sleep through it all.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Call of the Wild
By Neil Kleid

This book is about a dog sold from this mansion in California to become a sled dog in the Alaskan Gold Rush. It tells the amazing tale of his struggle to understand the law of club and fang and adapt to his new life. The author does a good job and bring the characters to life and makes you fall in love with Buck the dog.

I have read the book and seen the movie so it was great to have the opportunity to read the graphic novel. I honestly think I prefer it over the book. It was easy to follow and and easy read. I couldn't put it down even though I knew the ending. The artist makes the dogs and the cold weather come to life perfectly. The book was in black and white and I think that added to the mystery of the story being told.

I would recommend this to teens or people my age who have read or seen the story before. I read this book in one class period and enjoyed it the whole time!

[Tommy Milazzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first picked up the this novel, i didn't know it was a graphic novel, I failed to notice that part. With its old fashioned black and white illustrations, it quickly caught my eye. Following the story of domesticated wolf, Jack it was an interesting new read for me. As you progress through the storyline, you see the true bond that Jack and his owner have forged over time. Many people wanting Jack the wolf out of the picture they have to face many unwelcoming towns and people, to get to their goal. They explore the frozen wasteland in search of a mine that is said to have many riches but, is extremely difficult to find. Whomever is said to of found it has never returned, either turning up dead or lost. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good fiction/adventure novel that explores the polar terrain.

[e · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was an awful book, plain and simple. The story dragged on and on. I didn't care that Buck was in, yet another, fight. I couldn't care less that all of this fighting was just because Buck wanted dominance. There was too much dog abuse in this book. The dogs were constantly tired and all of the stupid humans couldn't see that was this was the problem. It was extremely unrealistic. Additionally, the format made this book even worse. Graphic novel? No. Comic book. It just wasn't colored in. It made it extremely hard to read and when it was over, I barely grasped the concept at all. It was an awful butchering to a classic book and I wouldn't pick up something like this in Barnes & Noble. It was a required read for school and I only endured this book because it counts as my last project grade ever.

[Kassie Houston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grade: 5-6
Genre: realistic fiction
Award(s): none

Forced to function in a climate where every day is a savage struggle for survival, Buck adapts quickly. Traces of his earlier existence are obliterated and he reverts to his dormant primeval instincts, encountering danger and adventure as he becomes the leader of a wolf pack and undertakes a journey of nearly mythical proportions. I would have the students come up with a different title for the graphica and recreate their favorite scene. This is a wonderful grahic novel about adaption to a new world. I find that the change in the dogs lifestyle calls for a different title for the book. Plus, just letting the students have their own miniature graphic novel would be pretty amazing.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The call of the wild graphic novel is a great read to better understand the story. I loved the call of the wild but reading it as a graphic novel helped me pick up on parts that I may have missed and put less stress on my brain seeing graphics rather than a page full of words. The call of the wild is about a dog named Buck. You follow his story of becoming a sled dog and how he eventually finds his way to the wild. Buck has had many owners but not any he was able to love. Buck finally finds his best friend who he can share his love with but when he returns from exploring the forest he finds him killed by a local tribe. Buck is determined to kill them just as they did with his master. The survivors of his attack now fear the wolf dog (Buck) and believe he is a evil spirit.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The call of the wild is about a dog named Buck who is sold to be a sled dog and pull sleds in Alaska. There he learns about the lives of sled dogs and the danger that they must face in their struggle to survive. This is a graphic novel about the dangers that Buckhad to face as a sled dog.
I picked this book up because I read the book and it was really good. The pictures in the graphic novel are terrible. In my opinion anyways.
I finished this book because I wanted to see the differences between the graphic novel and the normal one.
I would recommend this to Grace because her favourite animal is dogs and this is all about a dog. Although I don't think that she'll like the violence in it.

[Brittany Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre- Realistic Fiction
Awards- None
Grade Level- 5-6

This graphic novel is based off a book and movie. This book is very beneficial for students because not only are they reading the material but they are also getting images to help them have a better understanding of what is going on in the story. More children would be more open to a graphic novel because they can have a break from just reading line after line. A follow up activity to go along with this book would be for the students to create their own graphic novel based off of one of the scenes from the book.

[Coen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the graphic novel version of The Call of the Wild. It was fantastic! The art was a bit different from what I usually like, but it worked. I think it did a pretty good job of translating it a graphic novel. I read the original, I believe, sometime in high school. I don't remember it all the way, but I remember loving it. What can I say...? I'm an animal lover. Any story about animals is usually fantastic. :D

[Kristen Sawyer]

This is a classic story of a pampered estate dog who is sold into service. He must learn to survive by discovering and developing his deep primordial instinct. This classic story is told in pictures with speech bubbles. It could be used in a literature lesson about classics to inspire children who won’t or don’t read to actually take up a book and read a story. It can also be used in a unit about animals; service animals v. domestic animals and domestic animals v. wild animals.

[Beatrix · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was amazing!I could just picture everything in my mind!

[TC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't remember this well. I remember my 5th grade teacher reading it to us in school, but I don't remember many details.

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

ugh, I hated the graphics, I hated the way the story was told; I didn't even want to go past the first page. I scanned through to see if it got better, but it didn't. Maybe that's just me though.

[Aidan · Rating 1 out of 5]

They were mean to the dogs and just kept trying to get more sled dogs. My mom said that the language wasn't appropriate for young kids. I didn't want to read anymore.

[Jie Hao · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't the first time I read this book. Though the difference is the edition. For this one which is on Goodreads, it's wording is difficult. But still, I love the book