The Wolves are Back by Jean Craighead George

This book is stunning in its simplicity. By describing what happened when wolves were returned to the ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park, it clearly explains the concept of ecological balance to young students. The paintings by Wendell Minor are luminous. The book starts with a young wolf pup and his father going to feed from an elk carcass killed by their pack. It then traces back how the wolves were destroyed by man, and their successful return beginning with 10 adult wolves in 1995. Each page spread of the book shows a different part of the ecosystem that has begun to recover since the wolves have been back. Songbirds have returned, beavers have returned, and the elk and bison are no longer overgrazing the land. The Wolves Are Back. A similar theme to Wolf Island by Celia Godkin. The Wolves are Back by Jean Craighead George. Paintings by Wendell Minor. Dutton Children's Books, 2008.