Howl: A Book About Wolves by Melvin & Gilda Berger

Howl! A Book About Wolves by Melvin and Gilda Berger (40 pages; 1 book) #30

Berger, Melvin and Gilda Berger (2005). Howl! A Book About Wolves. New York: NY: Scholastic, Inc.

Awards: No awards given.

Grade Level: K-5 grades

Author Credibility: Melvin Berger writes books by himself or co-authors with his wife Gilda. He received his major in music and played the viola professionally before he decided to write books. His first book was Science and Music which helped him connect his two interests music and science. This led to almost 50 years of nonfiction writing. He stated that while researching and working on one article, it brings up questions for another article. Gilda Berger has a Master’s Degree in Education. She writes a variety of nonfiction books ranging from drug addiction to animal biology. There is no mention of how he researched for this book.

Summary/Response: The Berger’s are quick to mention that they have consulted with experts in this book. Again, the book is divided into chapters but no table of contents. No one knows why a wolf howls, but there is several speculations like to bring a pack together before a hunt. Wolves howl all times of the day, not just at night. They are the largest members of the dog family. They are very good hunters. Wolves walk on their toes instead of the soles of their feet to help them move fast. In fact, they can move up to 30 mph. Wolves have sharp teeth and a great sense of smell, up to 100 times better than a human. It is also speculated that they can hear for up to 4 miles away. Timber wolves, commonly known as gray wolves, are the biggest of all the wolves. Arctic wolves may go weeks without eating. Red wolves are the smallest of the wolves and there are only a few left. Baby wolves are called pups. There are usually five or six in a liter. The top male and female leaders of the pack are called alpha wolves. The alpha males are the ones who decide when it’s time to hunt. It takes the group to bring down a large animal and they only catch one in ten elk they hunt. If there hunt is successful, they don’t eat for another two weeks. Despite the fairy tales we’ve heard, wolves only kill for food and they hardly attack humans.

National Standards: Language: Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
Science: Structure and function in living systems, Reproduction and heredity, Regulation and behavior, Populations and ecosystems, Diversity and adaptations of organisms
Illustrations: Color photographs

Access Features: Index

Related Texts: Wild, Wild Wolves by Joyce Milton, Wolves by Carolyn B. Otto

Classroom Use: This book is a good addition to a science classroom.