Julie of the Wolves is a Classic loved by many

Books challenged by parents or organizations often surprise well-read adults and in reviewing the lists this year I looked deeper. Why is always one of the biggest questions when you notice a book you've shared in numerous classes. One such book has been a favorite of 4th and 5th grade readers and while it doesn't have the best conclusion, the story weakens and falls apart at the end in a slightly disagreeable fashion, the logic behind the challenges to Jean Craighead George's Julie of the Wolves seems weak to this reviewer.

We first meet Miyax, who is also known as Julie, as she was digging through her memories trying to remember how to establish a relationship with wolves. She knows they will bond with her in the Alaskan wilderness and she also knows her survival depends upon the success of joining their pack.

"Miyax stared hard at the regal black wolf, hoping to catch his eye. She must somehow tell him that she was starving and ask him for food. This could be done she knew, for her father, an Eskimo hunter had done so." She succeeded and the way in which she does creates a wonderful story of a human interacting with wildlife. She draws upon Eskimo stories that she heard from both her father and his friends as she creates a relationship with a magnificent wolf she calls Amarog.

But what was this 14 year old girl doing out in the Alaskan wilderness without food, human companionship, weapon (except for a knife) and with only the barest of protective clothing? While she knew a lot about survival, Miyax was still alone. This is part of the story that will appeal to young readers: that she was on her own and using her wit to survive, that she was forming a relationship with the wolves, and that she thinks about her mother-in-law. The first time I read this (mother-in-law) I thought that was a mistake.

The book is divided into three chapters, the present, the past, and then the present. The present is where she is and how she is establishing a relationship with a wolf pack. The past is why she is there and this is in part why the book has been challenged. In my opinion the challenge was incredibly weak possibly lacking in the experience of having thoroughly read the book. This book is more about the girl's ability to survive and adjust; it is a twist on the coming-of-age books so popular with young readers also coming of age.

When Miyax's mother dies, her father attempts to raise her but realizes he's not providing what this young girl needs. They are traditional Eskimo and he takes her out on hunts and fills her mind with stories. She does not grow up learning modern skills that will help her in society and eventually he feels compelled to let her live with her aunt. He also sets her up with an out, to leave her aunt for a traditional marriage with a young man she had never met. This was available for her when she turned 13 and when she reached that age she left. Marriage was not what she anticipated and it turns out she was more an apprentice than a wife. She learned her mother-in-law's skills but never mated with the young man who was now her husband. She was assured that wouldn't happen and she was relieved as he was somewhat slow and not to her liking.

However, children can be cruel and he was teased about not mating with his wife. When he found her alone, and his mother was not around, he attempted to force his intentions on Julie. That is why she left. She ran away. The sexual advance was not graphically depicted and was incredibly brief. It was vaguer than curtains blowing in the window.

In the third part of the story Julie deals with the threat she brings to the wolves who have integrated her into their pack and love her as one of them. The story continues into the present and we ache with the fear of what her friendship means to the pack.


Julie of the Wolves is powerfully written, and while it might not be accurate in depicting Inuit or Eskimo culture, the relationship of Miyax and the wolf pack is every bit as strong as any with a horse or dog and a child. She found in them the friendship and support that wasn't available in her own culture.

I won't say the book was well-written in the sense that it was free of grammatical errors-it had quite a few. I will say that it was well-written in the sense that it completely engages the reader unless you can't get past the reason why she escaped to the Alaska wilderness that summer.

Jean Craighead George has written numerous young adult books, specifically targeting fourth and fifth grade readers. Her books include My Side of the Mountain and Who Really Killed Cock Robin. Julie of the Wolves was released in 1972 and it reflected the author's background-she was raised in a family of naturalists and she had spent a summer studying wolves in the Arctic tundra.

The ending. Without saying how the story ended, I will say it was emotional and painful; I was cursing a few times (but remember that I'm quite fond of large dogs and wolves can fall into that category). But the final part of the book seems as confused and lost as many adolescents and she doesn't seem to hang on to what she considered important.

This has been banned several times. In 1996 a school board removed it because parents complained of a graphic marital rape scene in the book. The rape was an act of a confused child that lasted no more than half a page in a 170-page book. The power of this was that she moved beyond it, used her wit to escape and to remove herself from the situation. The environment she had been living in was toxic, not just because of her young husband. This was also an act of rebellion and conflict between her culture and an introduction to a more modern culture.

This has been banned because of language, violence and being unsuited for the age group for 10 and 11 year olds. I found none of this offensive. I did find the violence toward the wolves offensive, but I know that many who would complain about the rape would not complain about the violence.

My only complaint about Julie of the Wolves is that it should have ended before it ended, that the conclusion did not fit the strength of the story. There are some who will complain that the Inuit culture is misrepresented and perhaps that is true, but unfortunately that often happens in fiction. I really found Julie/Miyax creative, resourceful, and wise and this was not only a really good coming-of-age story, but also a terrific survivor story.

Reading books that have been banned and challenged can be a rewarding experience...exercise your rights to read. Check-out and review banned or challenged books from your library. Buy one from a bookstore to read, re-read, review and share with friends. Join my write off...more details