Starred review from March 1, 2016
Homer, a goggle-eyed, middle-size houndish-looking canine, yearns to go to Wolf Camp, a place "Where every dog can live as a wolf--for an entire week!" Yes, a sleep-away camp for dogs. After persistent pestering, the mutt's given permission to go. On arrival it is introduced to the counselors, enormous, sharp-nosed, shaggy wolves named Fang and Grrr. Zuill's pen-and-ink drawings with watercolor wash perfectly conveys the dogs', er, sorry, campers' inner feelings, from the getting-to-know-you butt sniffs to their expressive eyes as they receive their instructions. Fang's safety-talk speech bubble is so extensive that the text bleeds off the page. Homer, like any child in a new situation, slowly warms up to the goofy golden retriever-like Rex and the tiny gray Chihuahua Pixie, the fellow campers forming a pack that learns to hunt, howl, and sleep outside like real wolves. Although Homer has a rough start, confiding in a letter home that the "food is yucky and has hair on it" and the bugs "are gross," when it is time to leave, the tears flow. Readers witness Homer's return to domesticated life, as the dog curls up on a comfy round bed under a blue electric blanket. Homer is not an unchanged dog, though, but an honorary wolf with a certificate and a howl to prove it. This debut picture book will delight more than dog lovers. (Picture book. 5-8)
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May 1, 2016
PreS-Gr 2-This picture book debut introduces readers to a cartoon canine who sets his sights on attending Wolf Camp. From the moment an advertisement falls out of the bag of kibble into his bowl, Homer begs his people to let him go. At camp, he and his fellow campers learn the fine arts of marking, howling, and tracking, all in preparation for their first hunt with counselors Fang and Grrr. In a letter home to his family, readers learn that Homer's a little homesick, but by story's end the campers have adjusted to life in the wild like naturals. They return home with honorary certificates and are forever changed, as evidenced by Homer's nighttime howling. Pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations have a comic feel owing to the frequent use of word and thought bubbles and the arrangement of the action on the page, which often appears in borderless panels. Meet the new dog in town; here's hoping this won't be the last we see of Homer. Kids anticipating attending camp themselves soon will relate to the humor and enjoy the way the artwork extends the story.
Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 1, 2016
Grades K-2 Homer is a good dog, but sometimes his behavior gets a little wolfish (or so he likes to think). All dogs have a bit of wolf in them, he says. It's been proven by science. When Homer catches wind of a special Wolf Camp, he is desperate to go, and his people agree. Camp is led by two counselors, Fang and Grrr ( They seem nice ), and they teach Homer and other wannabe wolves how to hunt and howl. It's not the easiest adjustment, but eventually Homer settles in and learns some skills he can take back home. Zuill's watercolor illustrations depict Homer as large-snouted and big-eyed, in comic contrast to the larger, slightly more menacing wolf counselors. Full-page illustrations, packed with details and funny asides, show Homer and other dogs as they slowly improve their wilderness skills. Kids with camp jitters of their own will laugh out loud at Homer's antics as he overcomes his nervousness in pursuit of his dream, and they'll enjoy watching his transition from plain old Homer to honorary wolf.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2017
Homer, a dog who is curious about his wolfy heritage, convinces his people to send him to Wolf Camp, "where every dog can live as a wolf." Discomfort and trepidation as well as excitement accompany this new but ultimately rewarding experience. Clever narrative details and relatable anxieties will appeal to readers, and spacious, scribbly watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations support the tongue-in-cheek tone.
(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)