Wandering Woolly by Andrea Gabriel

32 pg, 10 x 8.5, Ages 4-8, Grades K-3
Hardcover ISBN: 9781628555585, $17.95

About the book: Little Woolly leaves her mother behind as she chases a toad down to the river. When the glacial ice breaks, she is swept away in the rumbling, rolling water. Now alone, the mammoth calf struggles to survive. She must sneak past cave lions, bears, saber-toothed cats and humans. Exhausted and afraid, she must even hide from stormy weather as she fights her way back to her herd. How can she find them? Will she ever get back?


Review: This is a fictionalized tale of a young Woolly Mammoth. These creatures are now extinct and remains have been found by archaeologists. The author/illustrator is basing this gentle Woolly tale on creature remains found and the assumption that these creatures are from the family that is related to modern elephants and that they behaved similarly to elephants.

The story is just that - a story. The "For Creative Minds" section at the back of the book - which is always a big hit - provides information on Ice Age Sequencing based on scientific thinking in some areas. Also included is a comparison of Mammoths and Elephants stating that the last woolly mammoths died 4,000 years ago. This comparison is very interesting.

The For Creative Minds section also includes information on other Extinct Ice Age Animals (some mentioned in the story) and on the Clovis People purported to be the first humans in North America. Again, all of this is very interesting information.

Wandering Woolly provides a beginning discussion point for young children being introduced to the concept of ice ages and extinct animals.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Arbordale Publishing to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer. No compensation was received for this review.