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Runt
DEEP IN THE Minnesota forest, where only the strong survive, four regular-sized pups—Leader, Sniffer, Runner, and Thinker—are pushed into the world. Then one last, very small pup is born into the wolf pack. He is called Runt.
From the very start, Runt struggles in the harsh wild world of the wolves. He tries learning along with his brothers and sisters, but makes serious mistakes. It’s hard pleasing his father, King, and the other wolves. If only Runt could prove himself to his powerful father and family. . . .
“With an economy of words, Bauer precisely and vividly conveys the wolves’ wild world. . . . There’s a ready-made audience for this.”— Booklist , Starred
“Beautifully written and faithful to wolves’ behavior (explained in an afterword). . . . Bauer portrays the wolves’ place in the natural world with compassion, respect, and warmth, but this is also the story of any unique individual’s struggle to find his or her niche.”— School Library Journal
From the very start, Runt struggles in the harsh wild world of the wolves. He tries learning along with his brothers and sisters, but makes serious mistakes. It’s hard pleasing his father, King, and the other wolves. If only Runt could prove himself to his powerful father and family. . . .
“With an economy of words, Bauer precisely and vividly conveys the wolves’ wild world. . . . There’s a ready-made audience for this.”— Booklist , Starred
“Beautifully written and faithful to wolves’ behavior (explained in an afterword). . . . Bauer portrays the wolves’ place in the natural world with compassion, respect, and warmth, but this is also the story of any unique individual’s struggle to find his or her niche.”— School Library Journal
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
44 people are currently reading
1796 people want to read
About the author
Marion Dane Bauer
173 books186 followersMarion Dane Bauer is the author of more than one hundred books for young people, ranging from novelty and picture books through early readers, both fiction and nonfiction, books on writing, and middle-grade and young-adult novels. She has won numerous awards, including several Minnesota Book Awards, a Jane Addams Peace Association Award for RAIN OF FIRE, an American Library Association Newbery Honor Award for ON MY HONOR, a number of state children's choice awards and the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota for the body of her work.
She is also the editor of and a contributor to the ground-breaking collection of gay and lesbian short stories, Am I Blue? Coming Out from the Silence.
Marion was one of the founding faculty and the first Faculty Chair for the Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her writing guide, the American Library Association Notable WHAT'S YOUR STORY? A YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO WRITING FICTION, is used by writers of all ages. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen different languages.
She has six grandchildren and lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her partner and a cavalier King Charles spaniel, Dawn.
-------------------------------------
INTERVIEW WITH MARION DANE BAUER
-------------------------------------
Q. What brought you to a career as a writer?
A. I seem to have been born with my head full of stories. For almost as far back as I can remember, I used most of my unoccupied moments--even in school when I was supposed to be doing other "more important" things--to make up stories in my head. I sometimes got a notation on my report card that said, "Marion dreams." It was not a compliment. But while the stories I wove occupied my mind in a very satisfying way, they were so complex that I never thought of trying to write them down. I wouldn't have known where to begin. So though I did all kinds of writing through my teen and early adult years--letters, journals, essays, poetry--I didn't begin to gather the craft I needed to write stories until I was in my early thirties. That was also when my last excuse for not taking the time to sit down to do the writing I'd so long wanted to do started first grade.
Q. And why write for young people?
A. Because I get my creative energy in examining young lives, young issues. Most people, when they enter adulthood, leave childhood behind, by which I mean that they forget most of what they know about themselves as children. Of course, the ghosts of childhood still inhabit them, but they deal with them in other forms--problems with parental authority turn into problems with bosses, for instance--and don't keep reaching back to the original source to try to fix it, to make everything come out differently than it did the first time. Most children's writers, I suspect, are fixers. We return, again and again, usually under the cover of made-up characters, to work things through. I don't know that our childhoods are necessarily more painful than most. Every childhood has pain it, because life has pain in it at every stage. The difference is that we are compelled to keep returning to the source.
Q. You write for a wide range of ages. Do you write from a different place in writing for preschoolers than for young adolescents?
A. In a picture book or board book, I'm always writing from the womb of the family, a place that--while it might be intruded upon by fears, for instance--is still, ultimately, safe and nurturing. That's what my own early childhood was like, so it's easy for me to return to those feelings and to recreate them.
When I write for older readers, I'm writing from a very different experience. My early adolescence, especially, was a time of deep alienation, mostly from my peers but in some ways from my family as well. And so I write my older stories out of that pain, that longing for connection. A story has to have a problem at its core. No struggle
She is also the editor of and a contributor to the ground-breaking collection of gay and lesbian short stories, Am I Blue? Coming Out from the Silence.
Marion was one of the founding faculty and the first Faculty Chair for the Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her writing guide, the American Library Association Notable WHAT'S YOUR STORY? A YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO WRITING FICTION, is used by writers of all ages. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen different languages.
She has six grandchildren and lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her partner and a cavalier King Charles spaniel, Dawn.
-------------------------------------
INTERVIEW WITH MARION DANE BAUER
-------------------------------------
Q. What brought you to a career as a writer?
A. I seem to have been born with my head full of stories. For almost as far back as I can remember, I used most of my unoccupied moments--even in school when I was supposed to be doing other "more important" things--to make up stories in my head. I sometimes got a notation on my report card that said, "Marion dreams." It was not a compliment. But while the stories I wove occupied my mind in a very satisfying way, they were so complex that I never thought of trying to write them down. I wouldn't have known where to begin. So though I did all kinds of writing through my teen and early adult years--letters, journals, essays, poetry--I didn't begin to gather the craft I needed to write stories until I was in my early thirties. That was also when my last excuse for not taking the time to sit down to do the writing I'd so long wanted to do started first grade.
Q. And why write for young people?
A. Because I get my creative energy in examining young lives, young issues. Most people, when they enter adulthood, leave childhood behind, by which I mean that they forget most of what they know about themselves as children. Of course, the ghosts of childhood still inhabit them, but they deal with them in other forms--problems with parental authority turn into problems with bosses, for instance--and don't keep reaching back to the original source to try to fix it, to make everything come out differently than it did the first time. Most children's writers, I suspect, are fixers. We return, again and again, usually under the cover of made-up characters, to work things through. I don't know that our childhoods are necessarily more painful than most. Every childhood has pain it, because life has pain in it at every stage. The difference is that we are compelled to keep returning to the source.
Q. You write for a wide range of ages. Do you write from a different place in writing for preschoolers than for young adolescents?
A. In a picture book or board book, I'm always writing from the womb of the family, a place that--while it might be intruded upon by fears, for instance--is still, ultimately, safe and nurturing. That's what my own early childhood was like, so it's easy for me to return to those feelings and to recreate them.
When I write for older readers, I'm writing from a very different experience. My early adolescence, especially, was a time of deep alienation, mostly from my peers but in some ways from my family as well. And so I write my older stories out of that pain, that longing for connection. A story has to have a problem at its core. No struggle
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
January 4, 2018
Runt was... well, the runt of his litter. He belonged in a pack with his mother, Silver, and his strong, proud father, King. This is the stirring story about a little wolf pup making his way in the wild world though he often doesn't feel like he is a part of his own family.
This was a read-along book with my daughter. She checked it out from her school's library primarily because of the adorable wolf pup on the cover. Turns out, she picked out a winner. This was an adventurous and sometimes emotional story about the courage that one can find in order to be brave and strong when all the world expects you to be something different.
Four stars for a well-told, touching story that I would recommend to other readers of middle-grade/juvenile fiction.
This was a read-along book with my daughter. She checked it out from her school's library primarily because of the adorable wolf pup on the cover. Turns out, she picked out a winner. This was an adventurous and sometimes emotional story about the courage that one can find in order to be brave and strong when all the world expects you to be something different.
Four stars for a well-told, touching story that I would recommend to other readers of middle-grade/juvenile fiction.
February 12, 2008
I read this as a book club book with my 9 year old. Man, this is deep... I'm surprised that they let 3rd graders read this stuff... I was almost in tears.. maybe I think that 9 yr olds aren't as tough as they are. It is a sweet book that gets across the point that painfully paints growing up as 'different'. I wouldn't recommend it for kids under 9, but what do I know?
September 17, 2009
A litter of wolf pups is born deep in the wide Minnesota forest to King and Silver...Leader, Runner, Sniffer,Thinker, and Runt. Runt is as his name suggests... small, weak, and struggling to breath and survive. But, survive he does. His determination and spunkiness are the traits that provide for him, yet it is these same qualities that get into trouble and danger. He sets out time and time again to prove himself and to rid himself of his unworthy name. When Runt slowly starts to follow the path of devious, unloyal Bider, a rogue wolf pack-member, things become perilous for Runt. Runt is set on making a contribution to his pack, yet is too immature to see danger looking him in the eye.
The symmetry and hierarchy of a wild wolf pack is thoughtfully orchestrated in the story of Runt by Marion Dane Bauer. The subtle, interwoven division of survival and strengths are there for the reader to appreciate, yet the reality of the sometimes gruesome nature of the animal may be too much for the younger reader.
The symmetry and hierarchy of a wild wolf pack is thoughtfully orchestrated in the story of Runt by Marion Dane Bauer. The subtle, interwoven division of survival and strengths are there for the reader to appreciate, yet the reality of the sometimes gruesome nature of the animal may be too much for the younger reader.
April 5, 2013
This book was a pleasure to read aloud to my eight year old daughter. We both eagerly anticipated our reading sessions so that we could follow Runt's adventures. I story was interesting and well paced but I especially enjoyed the characterization of the wolf pack members. Their personalities, choices and dialogue felt true to wolf natures and demonstrated both good writing craft and research. The presentation of themes such as family, death, loyalty, trust and human/animal interactions were very well handled for the late elementary or early middle years reader and sparked good conversations between me and my daughter.
Content note: There are descriptions of wolves hunting and eating other animals. There is also a depiction of wolves and other animals dying from eating meat poisoned by a rancher. Animals encounter different aspects of human nature and must learn how to exist in close proximity to humans.
Content note: There are descriptions of wolves hunting and eating other animals. There is also a depiction of wolves and other animals dying from eating meat poisoned by a rancher. Animals encounter different aspects of human nature and must learn how to exist in close proximity to humans.
June 4, 2021
I think I was too kind on my first review. Not that it isn't nicely written; the prose is fine. Still, it's long and meandering, fairly insulting to cows (I'm almost certain even a cow who has never met a wolf would know better than to just stand there), and has little to no payoff at the end. Partly because the end isn't earned: Runt just lucks into his happy ending.
First review
Quite a lengthy and mostly melancholy story, with not enough payoff for a happy ending. However, it's nicely written, with no fear of its subject matter, portraying wolves as they are, even to younger readers.
First review
Quite a lengthy and mostly melancholy story, with not enough payoff for a happy ending. However, it's nicely written, with no fear of its subject matter, portraying wolves as they are, even to younger readers.
November 13, 2016
What a perfect little story of identity, growth, loss, family, and, of course, wolves. Loved it and would recommend it for young readers.
p. 127 - "Perhaps the truth was that humans were a mixture, aggressive and kind, greedy and generous. Like wolves."
p. 127 - "Perhaps the truth was that humans were a mixture, aggressive and kind, greedy and generous. Like wolves."
August 27, 2011
This is my favorite book ever! My good friend Jarrett recommended it & I loved it!
March 5, 2025
Bittersweet re-read. A childhood favorite of mine growing up, especially spending summers in the North woods. This gave me such a positive perspective of wolves and other predators of the north.
August 27, 2025
Nostalgia has brought me back to this book over a decade later. This reread did not disappoint. Thank you, nostalgia.
March 31, 2023
A Newberry Honor book that shows the life cycle and wolf hierarchy of a pack.
Read
May 13, 2010it was to hard for a fifth grader to read i was almost done but i gave up on it. think know that i'm older i'll read it a gain some time. maybe...probably not! =]
February 1, 2018
The setting is in multiple places but mostly in the woods. Other places are the human camp (the village) and the new den site for the spring. The main characters are Runt his littermates(I won't name them all) King, Silver and Bider. The book is about a newborn pup named runt because he is the actual runt. He thinks he doesn't belong in his family but wants to belong so he tries to do this by going on dangerous adventures.
I loved how much detail is in the book and how the reader can sometimes relate to Runt or one of his family members. For example, I can relate to Runt because he wants to belong but he is the smallest and it's hard to be treated the right way. Also that the drama and action is amazing. For example when they are going for their first hunt much happens i won't give detail because I don't want to spoil the ending. You can get a sort of chill when something bad or good happens. What I don't like is how fast the author kills off some of the characters. If you want to see who gets killed read the book.
I would recommend this book if you like drama action trying to fit in stories and family issues. If you don’t like animals getting killed the I don't recommend this to you. Now for the people and age group I would recommend the book to. For age group i would recommend from 11-15 years old. for the groups of people i would not recommend this to sensitive people and that don't like death.
I loved how much detail is in the book and how the reader can sometimes relate to Runt or one of his family members. For example, I can relate to Runt because he wants to belong but he is the smallest and it's hard to be treated the right way. Also that the drama and action is amazing. For example when they are going for their first hunt much happens i won't give detail because I don't want to spoil the ending. You can get a sort of chill when something bad or good happens. What I don't like is how fast the author kills off some of the characters. If you want to see who gets killed read the book.
I would recommend this book if you like drama action trying to fit in stories and family issues. If you don’t like animals getting killed the I don't recommend this to you. Now for the people and age group I would recommend the book to. For age group i would recommend from 11-15 years old. for the groups of people i would not recommend this to sensitive people and that don't like death.
May 20, 2022
Runt is the story of a wolf pup in Minnesota. Told from the point of view of Runt, we learn about the struggles of the modern wolf, while at the same time coming to understand deeply the dynamic of the wolf pack and what they must do to survive. An amazing story, told well, I really appreciated this story. At the same time, this isn't an easy book to read in some regards. There are brutal consequences for wrong decisions, which leads to some rather heartbreaking scenes. For that I took a star away, because for some children this would open a dialogue. For others, I think it can be too much. Use caution if giving this book to your child, knowing those scenes are there.
January 18, 2018
Everyone wants to be remembered for something big and bold that they have done. Characters in stories are sometimes labeled for the legacy they leave behind their journey. In Runt by Marion Dane Bauer, the protagonist is a young wolf pup originally named Runt. The novel is categorized as children's literature, but I would say that all ages are able to enjoy this type of amature storytelling. In my opinion, the genre should read more along the lines of “family friendly fiction.”
Runt, our main character, is named after his small size after he is born and throughout most of his difficult childhood. The name occasionally embarasses him, and he wants to be known for something much more important than his size. During a storm, Runt runs through the woods until he stumbles upon a “nest” of which he has never seen. He inches closer to the dwelling of some unknown creature, and discovers something that may change his image. A person walks out of this house, and Runt, amazed by the unique experience runs back to his den to tell the others in his pack. He hopes that once they hear his story, his name will be changed to “The Brave One.” The response from his fellow pack members is not what he had expected. They are disappointed in the foolishness of a young pup who has the audacity to interact with a human.
I give Runt a 3 star rating. I think its innocence and lesson teaching intent is mentally healthy for readers of all ages. I did however take two stars away, only because I think the novel could have been made longer and more interesting if Runt had run into some more complex and challenging problems more often. This would also make the novel more believable.
Runt, our main character, is named after his small size after he is born and throughout most of his difficult childhood. The name occasionally embarasses him, and he wants to be known for something much more important than his size. During a storm, Runt runs through the woods until he stumbles upon a “nest” of which he has never seen. He inches closer to the dwelling of some unknown creature, and discovers something that may change his image. A person walks out of this house, and Runt, amazed by the unique experience runs back to his den to tell the others in his pack. He hopes that once they hear his story, his name will be changed to “The Brave One.” The response from his fellow pack members is not what he had expected. They are disappointed in the foolishness of a young pup who has the audacity to interact with a human.
I give Runt a 3 star rating. I think its innocence and lesson teaching intent is mentally healthy for readers of all ages. I did however take two stars away, only because I think the novel could have been made longer and more interesting if Runt had run into some more complex and challenging problems more often. This would also make the novel more believable.
January 12, 2026
I read this book when I was in grade school and sought to read it again as an adult. This book is about the battle between nature versus nature on the journey of self-discovery, and it highlights the dichotomy of how human nature can be both cruel and kind.
February 5, 2019
This book is a really good book it is about a wolf pack family that has puppies wolfs and one is so small they name him run while the other ones have creative names and he has a named called runt and he tries to show his parents that he is not a runt by being brave but it leads to tradgey and heartbreaking and makes him even worse but his dad figures his name should change and it does.
March 22, 2025
One of my favorite books! I could read this over and over, and I have.
November 27, 2020
None of the wolf pack members are very likeable, but I am sure that if I had read this as a kid it would have been a 5-star read for its pure focus on animals (save the brief, vague appearance of some kind humans who help an injured Runt), beautiful descriptions of nature, and informative detail about wolf behavior and how young pups grow and learn. Complete with some harsh realities about the fragility of life in the wild, whether predator or prey.
July 1, 2017
First of all I am a sucker for wolves and who cannot but help fall in love with this cute wolf pup on the cover? And yes I will say I fell for the cover thus ordering it without really knowing what the story was going to be about.
Anyway I cannot say I was disappointed with the story, which will truly capture the minds of any child as anyone can relate. Runt lives a troubled life as a wolf pup whose experiences conflict with the way that his pack lives so he is always fighting himself based upon those experiences as well as the attitudes of his family. Being so small he finds he cannot live up to what the others want of him so his desire to prove himself just keeps getting him in more and more trouble with his family, his environment and even family "friends".
The story will make you pause and think as well as to relate. What do we struggle with? How do we want others to see us? How do we react to all the problems with us? And do we listen when the voice of wisdom speaks to us?
The only main letdowns for me is the fact the story was dry in some parts and the author didn't put a lot of personality in the non-major wolf players. Furthermore while I was reading I was struck by the fact (it was emphasized with the two top book recommendations for young readers) that the main wolf players copy in appearance the wolves of Jean Craighead George's "Julie" series with the black Amaroq, his look-alike son Kapu, Silver (the mother of both black pups) and even the dastardly bully wolf who was named Raw Bones in the series. In a sense I wish the author had been a bit more creative with her own wolf characters.
Anyway I cannot say I was disappointed with the story, which will truly capture the minds of any child as anyone can relate. Runt lives a troubled life as a wolf pup whose experiences conflict with the way that his pack lives so he is always fighting himself based upon those experiences as well as the attitudes of his family. Being so small he finds he cannot live up to what the others want of him so his desire to prove himself just keeps getting him in more and more trouble with his family, his environment and even family "friends".
The story will make you pause and think as well as to relate. What do we struggle with? How do we want others to see us? How do we react to all the problems with us? And do we listen when the voice of wisdom speaks to us?
The only main letdowns for me is the fact the story was dry in some parts and the author didn't put a lot of personality in the non-major wolf players. Furthermore while I was reading I was struck by the fact (it was emphasized with the two top book recommendations for young readers) that the main wolf players copy in appearance the wolves of Jean Craighead George's "Julie" series with the black Amaroq, his look-alike son Kapu, Silver (the mother of both black pups) and even the dastardly bully wolf who was named Raw Bones in the series. In a sense I wish the author had been a bit more creative with her own wolf characters.
April 16, 2025
I remember reading this back when I was in middle school. And I remembered how I needed to read it for a summer reading project. I sure didn't much care. I only gleamed at the pages (considering I was not much of a reader back then).
But over the years, I figured to revisit it and read it more thoroughly. I'm like, wow, I never thought how though provoking the book is. And I wished I read it more thoroughly because I could relate to Runt, considering how I used to feel like I wasn't anything special to my family. I struggled and learning how to fit in while trying to know about myself. But I know one thing I remembered the most and it still touched me was the ending.
Definitely would recommend for kids ages 8 or 9+. The theme of the book involves with Family, Grief, and Survival. It can be a bit grim, but there are light hearted moments.
But over the years, I figured to revisit it and read it more thoroughly. I'm like, wow, I never thought how though provoking the book is. And I wished I read it more thoroughly because I could relate to Runt, considering how I used to feel like I wasn't anything special to my family. I struggled and learning how to fit in while trying to know about myself. But I know one thing I remembered the most and it still touched me was the ending.
Definitely would recommend for kids ages 8 or 9+. The theme of the book involves with Family, Grief, and Survival. It can be a bit grim, but there are light hearted moments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2016
The book Runt by Marion Dane Bauer is a book about a wolf puppy named Runt who is a runt or the smallest, weakest puppies of a litter. The characters in the story are Runt, his mom and dad, the misunderstood humans, the hunter wolves and his siblings. The plot is that Runt is a small but fierce wolf who will try new things and his dad is the exact opposite and doesn't like Runt at all. The setting is in the woods in the north, and it takes place in modern time. The genre is adventure, I know this because it does take place in a believable setting with a good amount of action.
The conflict in the book is external, character vs nature, the character keeps on getting lost and hurt under the natural environment he is in and he can't change that.
The other type of conflict is character vs self. He doesn't really know himself until the end, the names he wants symbolize this, he wants to be named something and then another until he gets his official name.
I think this is a great book. The book has a good plot that is believable and with plenty of action and characters. You get to know the character from his birth to adulthood and see what he becomes. The book has plenty of problems and would teach how to handle them, like how to be a leader and finding yourself. The audience that would enjoy this book would be 5th or 6th graders. It is easy for me but would be a good challenge for them. It would bore anyone less than 4th grade to death or be too advanced for them.
The conflict in the book is external, character vs nature, the character keeps on getting lost and hurt under the natural environment he is in and he can't change that.
The other type of conflict is character vs self. He doesn't really know himself until the end, the names he wants symbolize this, he wants to be named something and then another until he gets his official name.
I think this is a great book. The book has a good plot that is believable and with plenty of action and characters. You get to know the character from his birth to adulthood and see what he becomes. The book has plenty of problems and would teach how to handle them, like how to be a leader and finding yourself. The audience that would enjoy this book would be 5th or 6th graders. It is easy for me but would be a good challenge for them. It would bore anyone less than 4th grade to death or be too advanced for them.
July 3, 2022
This is the tale of a wolf cub who is the runt of his litter, and his struggle to prove himself. It’s a fairly predictable story, which isn’t surprising since it’s aimed at young children. It isn’t bad, per se, but it isn’t particularly interesting either. Children might well enjoy it, but it’s not worth reading if you’re over ten years old.
October 2, 2018
This is a really good story about a wolf pup and his awakenings. As the runt of the litter, he has to prove himself with more difficulties than his brethren.
The author did a good job depicting life and interaction in the wolf pack and telling the story effectively. Four stars for that.
I give the fifth star because I thought this was a very thoughtful and original story. As we look at life through the eyes and thoughts of Runt, the author, in my opinion, was able to give us some magical scenes and original thoughts and moments.
I would not include spoilers, but I think readers will readily identify these parts that I refer to.
Enjoy this book.
The author did a good job depicting life and interaction in the wolf pack and telling the story effectively. Four stars for that.
I give the fifth star because I thought this was a very thoughtful and original story. As we look at life through the eyes and thoughts of Runt, the author, in my opinion, was able to give us some magical scenes and original thoughts and moments.
I would not include spoilers, but I think readers will readily identify these parts that I refer to.
Enjoy this book.
November 18, 2014
This book was such an amazing book. It touched my heart in many different ways. I wold recomend this book to anybody who loves wolves, short books, books about nature, and books that will touch your heart in many different ways. Its about a wolf who was a runt in the pack. he did a lot of things against his pack when he thought he was doing good things. also he just couldnt howel. in the end he finally finds his voice and his father renames him and he is nolonger a disgrace to the entire pack. Its so totaly awesome.
July 13, 2016
I love wolves. I expected to enjoy this tale about the runt of the litter earning his place in the pack. Instead, I found a young pup who continually risked the lives of his siblings, causing the death of two of them, only to earn the lame name of Singer when the book ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2018
It was cute.
March 14, 2020
I really liked it although it was really sad. I wanted him to have a different view of humans and a different relationship but I guess that is not realistic.
September 1, 2017
Once again, Ash is coming back to review a book and this book is rather special because it was an old childhood favorite of hers! I remember reading this book in restaurants and stuff when I was a younger kid (probably around second grade), and I remember really enjoying it. I mean, it met all the qualifications of being a book Young Ash would like: it had animals, it was kind of depressing, there was death, it had wolves, an underdog protagonist, a cute cover, etc. What wasn't there to like about it?
And throughout the years, I continued to remember reading this book. I kept remembering the cover mainly, but I mostly remembered one of the character's deaths... and that was it. So nostalgia inspired me to give this book a whirl again. So I made my merry way to Amazon and purchased this book again and voila, I was reading it again.
AND...
It was nowhere near as good as I remembered.
Now don't get me wrong, there are things I appreciate about it. I thought the descriptions in this book were pretty decent for a kids book and I definitely liked that this book was not afraid to show the brutality of nature like some books are afraid to do. And I even admire the ballsiness of this book with how it kills off one of the characters. It was rather dark and brutal and I kind of admire the author for doing it.
However, that is where my praise of the book ends.
My main problem with this book is that none of the characters were likable. Runt himself was alright but he was too passive for my own taste. I wanted him to stand up for himself. I was also annoyed because at one point, he practically is responsible for one character's death, but he seems to show little or no remorse at this fact. He is more upset at the fact his family is upset at him for being with the humans than the fact that his sibling got killed on behalf of him messing with the porcupine.
Then came King. King as a character made me mad. He explained nothing to his son, which caused a lack of communication and was rather cold and uncaring. I did not particularly like him at all. And at the end, it feels like his character did a random 180 with how he felt about Runt. It felt like it was more out of plot convenience. His lack of care and character and lack of explanation for anything annoyed me to death and throughout the book I was hoping Runt would stand up to him for once but it never happened.
The rest of the main family were completely unmemorable. It seemed the author thought giving them names like "Thinker" and "Sniffer" made their personalities come to life. I see why I didn't necessarily remember anyone else in this book because they do nothing special other than be there to be hurt.
Then there was Bider. Bider was kind of interesting to me because he at least challenged King, which is what I wanted Runt to do... but he was much to bland for his potential to show up. If we learned of his past or if he had more motivation, perhaps he would've stuck out more. However, the author instead just kills him off in a rather uninspired and lame way (seriously how did Runt and Bider NOT notice all the dead poisoned animals?). As an antagonist he left a lot to be desired.
Finally, my other main problem with this book is ... what is the moral? Don't get me wrong, stories don't necessarily have to teach great life lessons but I did not see the purpose of this book. This is how I sum it up. Runt is named Runt because he is the runt. He wants to impress his father but continually fucks up. Part of him considers questioning his father's rule with Bider because King doesn't explain why he does things... but in the end, he finds out his father was right about one thing and when Bider is dead, King just randomly forgives him and names him Singer? So what's the lesson here? Never question or challenge anything? Get the approval of people who clearly don't care about you? I really don't know and in the end it left me wanting more.
I find it kind of sad I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did when I was a child. But that is the way it is sometimes, I guess. Overall, it's short and alright and I am sure a kid would enjoy it... but there is better literature for you to give them.
And throughout the years, I continued to remember reading this book. I kept remembering the cover mainly, but I mostly remembered one of the character's deaths... and that was it. So nostalgia inspired me to give this book a whirl again. So I made my merry way to Amazon and purchased this book again and voila, I was reading it again.
AND...
It was nowhere near as good as I remembered.
Now don't get me wrong, there are things I appreciate about it. I thought the descriptions in this book were pretty decent for a kids book and I definitely liked that this book was not afraid to show the brutality of nature like some books are afraid to do. And I even admire the ballsiness of this book with how it kills off one of the characters. It was rather dark and brutal and I kind of admire the author for doing it.
However, that is where my praise of the book ends.
My main problem with this book is that none of the characters were likable. Runt himself was alright but he was too passive for my own taste. I wanted him to stand up for himself. I was also annoyed because at one point, he practically is responsible for one character's death, but he seems to show little or no remorse at this fact. He is more upset at the fact his family is upset at him for being with the humans than the fact that his sibling got killed on behalf of him messing with the porcupine.
Then came King. King as a character made me mad. He explained nothing to his son, which caused a lack of communication and was rather cold and uncaring. I did not particularly like him at all. And at the end, it feels like his character did a random 180 with how he felt about Runt. It felt like it was more out of plot convenience. His lack of care and character and lack of explanation for anything annoyed me to death and throughout the book I was hoping Runt would stand up to him for once but it never happened.
The rest of the main family were completely unmemorable. It seemed the author thought giving them names like "Thinker" and "Sniffer" made their personalities come to life. I see why I didn't necessarily remember anyone else in this book because they do nothing special other than be there to be hurt.
Then there was Bider. Bider was kind of interesting to me because he at least challenged King, which is what I wanted Runt to do... but he was much to bland for his potential to show up. If we learned of his past or if he had more motivation, perhaps he would've stuck out more. However, the author instead just kills him off in a rather uninspired and lame way (seriously how did Runt and Bider NOT notice all the dead poisoned animals?). As an antagonist he left a lot to be desired.
Finally, my other main problem with this book is ... what is the moral? Don't get me wrong, stories don't necessarily have to teach great life lessons but I did not see the purpose of this book. This is how I sum it up. Runt is named Runt because he is the runt. He wants to impress his father but continually fucks up. Part of him considers questioning his father's rule with Bider because King doesn't explain why he does things... but in the end, he finds out his father was right about one thing and when Bider is dead, King just randomly forgives him and names him Singer? So what's the lesson here? Never question or challenge anything? Get the approval of people who clearly don't care about you? I really don't know and in the end it left me wanting more.
I find it kind of sad I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did when I was a child. But that is the way it is sometimes, I guess. Overall, it's short and alright and I am sure a kid would enjoy it... but there is better literature for you to give them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2024
Runt by Marion Dane Bauer.
Quick synopsis : Runt is born different -- he's a runt. Can he somehow make his pack leader/father proud of him?
Brief opinion : A simple but fine story. It seemed to be headed for a not-happy ending, which would have made it better in my opinion.
Plot : Set in the wild forest somewhere, a litter of wolves is born to a wolf pack. Four normal pups and one runt. Each pup is named for some trait (Hunter, Runner, Sniffer, etc), and they keep that name through their life, unless some major event changes it.
Runt (who shares his father's exact coloring) is a disappointment. He tries hard, but he can never make his father proud. Can't keep up with his siblings, he keeps making mistakes. Like having a run-in with a porcupine, which puts him in contact with humans (who remove the quills), but contact with them makes him even more of an outcast to his pack.
Bider (who at first seemed to be filling the role of Scar from Lion King), used to lead the pack, but King beat him in a fight. Bider (named for biding his time, I guess?) kept undermining King, and eventually challenged him outright. As the story goes on, Runt has to decide if he's going to stay with his family or join with Bider.
Since this story is intended for younger readers, there's a happy ending, so you can guess which path Runt follows. Turns out , though there had been no evidence of that through the story that I had noticed.
Writing/editing : There were a number of typos/editing issues, but only one disrupted my reading (a wolf suddenly got an entirely new name for a paragraph).
What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like : For all that my write up of the plot might make it seem that the wolves were anthropomorphized, they really weren't. I liked how "basic" most of their communication was, I could see it happening with body language instead of words.
The story was really simple and basic, but it was meant for a much younger audience than me, so can't slight it for that.
Rating: 1-Hated / 2-Disliked / 3-Okay / 4-Liked / 5-Loved : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars, liked
Quick synopsis : Runt is born different -- he's a runt. Can he somehow make his pack leader/father proud of him?
Brief opinion : A simple but fine story. It seemed to be headed for a not-happy ending, which would have made it better in my opinion.
Plot : Set in the wild forest somewhere, a litter of wolves is born to a wolf pack. Four normal pups and one runt. Each pup is named for some trait (Hunter, Runner, Sniffer, etc), and they keep that name through their life, unless some major event changes it.
Runt (who shares his father's exact coloring) is a disappointment. He tries hard, but he can never make his father proud. Can't keep up with his siblings, he keeps making mistakes. Like having a run-in with a porcupine, which puts him in contact with humans (who remove the quills), but contact with them makes him even more of an outcast to his pack.
Bider (who at first seemed to be filling the role of Scar from Lion King), used to lead the pack, but King beat him in a fight. Bider (named for biding his time, I guess?) kept undermining King, and eventually challenged him outright. As the story goes on, Runt has to decide if he's going to stay with his family or join with Bider.
Since this story is intended for younger readers, there's a happy ending, so you can guess which path Runt follows. Turns out , though there had been no evidence of that through the story that I had noticed.
Writing/editing : There were a number of typos/editing issues, but only one disrupted my reading (a wolf suddenly got an entirely new name for a paragraph).
What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like : For all that my write up of the plot might make it seem that the wolves were anthropomorphized, they really weren't. I liked how "basic" most of their communication was, I could see it happening with body language instead of words.
The story was really simple and basic, but it was meant for a much younger audience than me, so can't slight it for that.
Rating: 1-Hated / 2-Disliked / 3-Okay / 4-Liked / 5-Loved : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars, liked
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