The Wonderment of Whispers of the Wolf by Pauline Ts'o

7/11/2016

By Mira Reisberg
Whispers of the Wolf by Pauline Ts’o is a beautiful story bound to pull on your heartstrings. It takes us back 500 years to the life of a Pueblo boy called Two Birds. Shy and insecure because of his size, he spends time searching for medicinal plants with his grandfather when he finds a helpless wolf pup and brings it home to care for it. As the wolf pup heals, Two Birds finds himself getting to know and growing closer to the other boys in his village, even telling them stories about his wolf. Time passes and he finds himself with a confidence he previously didn’t possess, becoming friends with both his wolf and his peers. But when summer fades into fall and traveling wild wolves call to the saved wolf pup, Two Birds has to make a choice—should he keep the wolf bound to stay with him, or release him to join a new wolf pack?

Pauline has a wonderful way of infusing a wide variety of emotion with her words and images using a short, simple sentence structure.

The gorgeous illustrations are detailed with unique textures that add life, power, and movement to the scenes. Pauline's use of color contributes to each spread being a work of art on its own. In the wee video below I try to give a glimpse at Pauline's skill in creating this multilayered book that deals with friendships on many levels, pre-Colonial times, inter-generational relationships, having to make an ethical decision, and the vibrancy of contemporary First Nations' culture through beautiful writing and art opening up all sorts of doors for rich discussions.

47 Comments

Danya

7/11/2016 02:59:04 pm

This sounds beautiful and lyrical... what a decision Two Birds must make. Letting go, setting free... such massive yet fundamental demands life makes of us...! Thanks for the introduction, Mira...

Mira

7/13/2016 09:45:40 am

Thank you Danya! Yes it is a wonderful book and am so glad it got published.

Pauline Ts'o link

8/2/2016 07:10:27 pm

Thank you, Danya! This story actually came from a writing exercise from Barbara Bottner. She said to take a problem you are currently having in your own life and give it the voice of a child. Back then, I was part of a start-up and struggling with letting go of some control so that another partner could feel more involved and ultimately make the company stronger. You never know how stories can evolve!

Guy G

7/13/2016 01:49:16 pm

I found this to be a very soulful book.

8/2/2016 07:11:53 pm

Thank you, Guy! It was a passion project that took 20 years to get published!

Tim Scheidler link

7/13/2016 02:51:17 pm

I love all of the layers. I also find it fascinating to consider how my own kids would hear this story vs. how I hear it.

7/22/2016 10:48:18 am

Layered books are truly wonderful, Tim. Children view the world in such fascinating ways--let us know what your kids think of Whispers of the Wolf, we'd love to hear it!

8/2/2016 07:16:16 pm

Thank you, Tim. This was my first real story as a children's book writer and it took a long time for me to figure out what the layers should be and how to fit them together so they would relate to each other. Lots of expanding and contracting! :-)

Kay

7/13/2016 06:55:51 pm

Beautiful book, beautiful illustrations. For me, the emotion in the illustrations was quite moving. This is the type of book I look for.

7/22/2016 10:53:12 am

You're right, Kay--this is a beautiful, beautiful book that's deeply moving , and the illustrations certainly add another emotional dimension to the story. I'm glad you enjoyed it since this is absolutely the type of book everyone should be looking for!

8/2/2016 07:21:36 pm

Thank you, Kay - I spent a lot of time immersed in the physicality of that part of the country. Saw lots of sunrises and sunsets, climbed to the top of mesas, felt the desert heat and the desert cold! It's no wonder many traditional Pueblo stories are intimately tied to the specific geography of their homeland.

Shirin

7/19/2016 04:44:32 am

This is a story to open hearts and minds, to create empathy, something our world cannot do without! The illustrations are profoundly moving, and oh so beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

7/22/2016 10:59:28 am

Absolutely Shirin, thank you for sharing your thoughts as well! Pauline Ts'o definitely created an empathetic story here. Two Birds is such a relatable character and the illustrations carry such profound emotional depth all on their own. The world needs quite a few more books like this one!

Pauline Tso link

8/2/2016 11:24:30 pm

Thank you, Shirin! Oftentimes, accurate retellings of traditional myths and folktales become a little emotionally abstract because much of the cultural context is missing, especially for a short picture book. In some ways, it would be like reading "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" without having read the previous books. How could you fully understand the relationships, the rules of the universe, the stakes, and therefore, the emotional content, without having read the other books? That's what reading a traditional myth from outside one's culture is like. Which is why I chose not to do so. I think writing my story as historical fiction allowed me to create empathy with the main character more easily than if he had been a character of legend and myth. Even though the story is set in the 1500's, I hope the emotions and personalities resonate on a contemporary level and allow the story to rise above stereotypes.

Nadine Gamble link

7/19/2016 05:54:08 am

Voice should be unique and authentic

7/22/2016 11:09:16 am

Characters' voices should absolutely be unique and authentic, Nadine, and I think we can agree that Two Birds' is certainly both of those. Thanks for sharing!

8/2/2016 11:33:17 pm

I totally agree, Nadine, that voice needs to be just as unique and authentic in diverse stories as it needs to be in more mainstream stories. In fact, there is an additional responsibility in diverse stories to be mindful of stereotyping. Take a look at "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok and compare it with "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian" by Sherman Alexie. Both deal with the coming-of-age of two highly intelligent boys within cultures apart from the mainstream, yet each is unique and authentic onto themselves.

Rebecca Dockum

7/19/2016 05:55:59 am

When thinking of a new diverse project, I believe one should look deeply at their community. What cultures are under represented? When learning about these cultures do you feel inspired by any particular aspect? My creative inspiration comes from learning, learning and stepping outside my personal experiences into the lives of others. Looking at the world around me through a new lens. Seeing what it may be like through another's eyes. Then trying to represent this new view through story.

7/22/2016 12:39:28 pm

Thank you for sharing, Rebecca! Learning is a wonderful way to find inspiration. It allows you to grow as a writer, and being able to see things through another's eyes is incredibly helpful when developing characters. Glad to see Whispers of the Wolf provoking some deep thinking about community, diversity, and learning, which we always need more of!

Rebecca

7/28/2016 04:03:33 pm

Thank you for the opportunity to receive my own copy of Whispers of the a wolf. I am so looking forward to sharing it with a special friend! Love your reviews and all the yummy info you provide!

8/2/2016 06:50:38 pm

Hi Rebecca! Your response reminded me of an experience I had in conversation with a member of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. He was one of the first, if not the first, Native Americans to receive a PhD in Sociology. He told me that his immersion in another culture (i.e., the world of Western academia) only led him to appreciate his own so much more. When he said this, I realized we are like the blind men touching the elephant. If we were first holding the tail and then were able to touch the elephant's ear, we would be amazed by our new experience with the ear. But now we also are in a position to better understand the uniqueness of the tail that we started with. When a writer (or a reader) has a true multiple cultural understanding, it helps him or her get a better grasp of the "elephant" in between that ultimately ties them together, i.e., the shared human condition.

Kathleen Ferry link

7/19/2016 07:09:58 am

I am drawn to this story and the relationship that develops between 2 Bird and the wolf pup. Animals give such unconditional love and this story shows in both words and illustrations that emotion. Thank you Mira!

7/22/2016 12:45:09 pm

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Kathleen! Pauline Ts'o is such a compelling storyteller with both her art and her words, and this story is a prime example of the sort of books we could use more of.

8/2/2016 11:38:59 pm

Thank you, Kathleen - I've always loved animals. When I was young, I thought about becoming a vet and I drew animals constantly, especially horses. I cannot, however, draw machines worth a darn!

Annemarie Guertin

7/19/2016 07:12:30 am

This sounds like a wonderful book with many uses for my classroom teaching. It lends itself as a mentor text to use for lessons/examples about confidence, friendships and making the right choice. These are lessons that we continually teach throughout the year. I look for books I can use again and again throughtout the year to show my students that books are more than just words- there are different elements you can learn from when you look at the book through a different lense for a different purpose.

7/22/2016 03:29:36 pm

Annemarie, this would be an absolutely fabulous book for classroom teaching. There's so much about this story that children can identify with and learn from, especially with such captivating artwork. Your students are very lucky to have a teacher like you, looking to share books like this!!

8/2/2016 11:46:27 pm

I would be so honored if my book was used as a classroom mentor text! As I wrote in my reply to Shirin, one of my primary goals was to create characters that contemporary children could relate to. We also specifically added the end notes to make more cultural and natural history context available as a resource to classroom educators. Hope it is useful to you!

Traci Bold link

7/19/2016 07:55:58 am

First and foremost, this review has me intrigued enough that I put this book on my mustread list. The fact that you created a book about a Native American boy and a wolf pup is a win win for me. As a writer and or illustrator the importance of getting 'it' right when writing a diverse story such as this is astronomical. To often society 'tags' each group of people as having specific traits and hones in on those where in reality groups of people are just that, people who share so many traits and characteristics that only their culture and ethnicity give them uniqueness and that is what I love when I read a really good diverse book, is that it captures what that MC's culture is and that is divine reading in my eyes.

I believe you have captured that very essence of that Pueblo boy and what his life entails based on this review.

I look forward to reading it Pauline. Thank you Mira for reviewing this book.

8/2/2016 06:56:35 pm

Hi Traci! Thanks for your kind comments all over social media! :-) Your response reminded me of another experience which influenced how I approached my story. Years ago, I was in a meeting with executives from a famous Japanese game company. There was much talk about how they wanted to show the rest of the world all these unique facets of Japanese culture and how the world would be captivated. Now I'm attracted to many aspects of Japanese culture, but it occurred to me that simply exposing people to its peculiarities would not be enough to engage them. There are aspects of life that people of all cultures can relate to - among them, the physical need to survive, a desire for belonging, the capacity to laugh, the capacity to hurt, and the coming of age of children. And yet, every culture has its own way of approaching the world. A creator of diverse stories must be able to work on both of these levels. Showing what we have in common is just as important as highlighting the differences.

Paul weiner link

7/19/2016 08:03:17 am

Sounds like a wonderful story. The artwork looks very exciting. It is important to enrich our childrens imagination especially with the amount of nationalities and cultures that exist. We need to enrich our children's idea about the world and the affects it has on them.

8/3/2016 06:20:08 pm

Hi Paul - I agree with you. Today's global economy means that we are all interconnected. I wish more kids could experience international travel. It can really increase empathy for those of different cultures.

Rosemary Basham

7/19/2016 08:35:12 am

When writing diverse books, get to know the culture you are describing. Take the time to understand, not just observe and record.

8/3/2016 06:28:00 pm

I agree, Rosemary! It's easy to get caught up in all the things that are new to you when approaching a culture for the first time, but as I said in another comment, what is held in common is just as important. Sometimes it takes a little more self-reflection to figure out what we share.

Deb Bartsch

7/19/2016 11:32:45 am

Hi Mira,
So glad you choose Pauline's book, "Whispers of the Wolf" to review for everyone!
While studying picture books at the library, front and center on the top shelf of the children's picture book display area, it was immediate and instant, the lovely colors she choose to use, her distinctive beautiful style is visually mesmerizing. I was hooked! Then I brought the book home to read. This story is lovely. She can capture Two Birds love of the wolf pup, the bond between them, his shyness, and his growth and maturity as he makes his important decision. This is a book my grandsons will love and treasure. Thanks for picking Pauline's book to showcase. You truly know your craft Mira.

8/3/2016 06:29:53 pm

Thank you, Deb, for your kind words. So nice to know that the book is in libraries where lots of children can discover it!

Emmie Werner link

7/19/2016 12:11:26 pm

ALL children should feel needed and important.

8/3/2016 07:20:56 pm

While I agree with you, sadly, not all cultures share the same viewpoint. There was recently an article in the LA Times about girls in South Sudan being traded for cattle. It would be very challenging as a writer to uncover what we have in common with a culture like this, but I think one must do so without pre-judgement. That doesn't mean you have to agree with it, just that you need to approach it with the sincere intent of trying to understand, rather than listening with ears shut because you've already made up your mind what's right. Tough to do...

Linda Pieterse link

7/19/2016 12:56:10 pm

This is a very inspirational book.
I'm a strong believer in any book having the potential to being a truly diverse book - and there are mainly two tools to make it one, in writing as well as illustrating:
(1) What if?
(2) Think small!

What if allows you to come up with a truly unique character that faces very specific troubles - because many ethnical and social groups are underrepresented in picture books. What if that child had asthma or needed hearing aids? What if that child was an Egyptian immigrant whose mother earns their household income?

Think small allows you to follow exactly this one child's life and struggles and sets him apart from other people in his community - because all children's struggles are unique, no matter which ethnic or social group they belong to.

Brittanny Handiboe link

7/19/2016 05:57:11 pm

I love these illustrations, so colorful, so wonderful. As an illustrator/writer I think the most important things to consider when creating a diverse picture book is keeping the story true, keeping the beauty in the truth.

Thank you so much for introducing this beautiful book!

Johnell link

7/19/2016 06:07:07 pm

Lovely. Thank you.

Tracey Brown

7/19/2016 07:18:30 pm

Beautiful book! Diversity is important, especially for children that are marginalized. How empowering it is when you see that you too, can be the hero in a book! Empathy and acceptance are sown as we enrich our lives reading about others' experiences so different from our own.

Laurie Young

7/19/2016 08:18:17 pm

I'm not entering the #GIVEAWAY, but I just wanted to say how beautiful this book is and how moving the story is. Pauline has created something magical.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind about diversity is the need to support writers and illustrators from underrepresented minorities, and as readers help develop a demand for first voice books. As a writer, it is important to look at the stories you want to tell and make sure you do your research and due diligence to present an authentic character and story.

We can approach diversity from both sides, in creating opportunities for emerging voices, and in shining a light on stories that otherwise might not have been told.

Melissa Stoller link

7/20/2016 05:07:54 pm

Thanks for the beautiful review. I look forward to reading the book. I would buy it for the beautiful cover alone!

Yell Mae Nicolas link

7/21/2016 12:05:50 am

This is a very nice book. The story line and the illustrations are great. What's good about this book is that every stroke and color of it gave meaning to the story. You can see how much effort it takes. It's good to see a book that's not just for the price of the money but a book that's been published to be read and be appreciated.

Natinder Ferrer Manak

7/21/2016 03:22:50 am

I adore the simple truths and carried emotions captured between Two Bird the wild wolf pup. Whispers of the Wolf and books of these genres proudly rejoice our ancestry and celebrate our child like wildness.

Nancy Kotkin

7/21/2016 09:16:22 am

The most important considerations for creating diverse books are authenticity of the culture and wide distribution of the book, because diverse books should be available not only to the target culture, but to kids of all cultures.

8/2/2016 07:04:35 pm

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for your interest in "Whispers of the Wolf". I enjoyed all of your comments and responses to my diverse stories question. Sorry I couldn't reply sooner, but you know, real world/day job stuff... Anyway, just wanted to emphasize that there's no one "right" answer to the question. The important thing is to have the dialogue. That's actually what writing diverse stories is all about.

The Wonderment of Whispers of the Wolf by Pauline Ts'o

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