A wolf torn away from the Yukon by hunters has been captive in a zoo for ten years when the boy first appears in front of his cage. The boy stares at the one-eyed wolf for hours, for days. The wolf, uncertain what to make of such tenacity, finally tries to meet the child’s gaze, and is surprised when the boy closes one eye, placing them on equal terms. Their two eyes literally become the windows through which each observes the other’s past. The boy learns that the wolf, raised in the wilderness of the far north, lost his freedom saving his sister, whose bravery and curiosity led her into the lair of the men who wanted to kill her for her pelt. The wolf learns that the boy, whose name is Africa, came from and traveled across that diverse continent. He witnessed war and environmental destruction, and his status as a child meant his fate was always determined by others. Finally, the boy is adopted by loving adults, although they must flee their home when the land is stripped beyond recognition and drought sets in. Both boy and wolf now find themselves in “The Other World,” our western world. The wolf has paid a tremendous price for his loyalty; the boy has been sustained throughout his extraordinary, mythical journey by the loyalty of animals who loved him even as most adults were casting him away. In an act of compassion and solidarity, the boy embraces the wolf’s pain as his own. In doing so, he teaches the wolf to trust, releasing him from the cage of his own bitterness in a mystical story that is firmly grounded in issues with which young readers can connect, such as friendship and trust, the ethics of wild animals in captivity, and the impact of environmental devastation. (Ages 10–14)

Reminiscent of THE LITTLE PRINCE, Daniel Pennac’s fable of a boy and a wolf who dare to meet each other’s gaze unfolds with humor, poignancy, and philosophical resonance.


They were born worlds apart, the wolf from the Far North and the boy from Yellow Africa. Now all that separates them is a cage at the zoo. The wolf has lost much on his journey, including an eye and his beloved pack. But when he finally consents to trust the strange, still little boy who has been watching him - to meet his eye - their lives intersect with unforgettable results. Master storyteller Daniel Pennac weaves the events of two lives into a mythic tapestry that ultimately and magnificently reveals the fellowship of all creatures. Ten illustrations by Max Grafe enhance this fabulous translation from the French.