In poetic prose as spare as the Northern setting it portrays, a crucial moment in the life of a wolf who has lost his mate to man is described. Gray Wolf hunts on a moonlit winter night until suddenly his senses alert him to the presence of a strange pack. White Wolf steps out, the two animals meet, circling each other, leaving together, and eventually become the leaders of a new pack. The strength of this story is in its art. The moon is a powerful presence, washing over the snow, lighting the wolves' eyes with intensity, highlighting their bristling fur, offering shadows of the pack that never steps into its light. Van Zyle's brushstrokes are rich with texture, drawing readers into the environment and the story. A map showing the animal's past and present ranges, an extensive list of conservation organizations, and an excellent author's note that briefly discusses history, behavior, and endangered status contribute to the authority of the book. Superior art and minimalist text offer a more accessible and gripping glimpse of the wolf than that found in Jim Murphy's The Call of the Wolves (Scholastic, 1989). Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.