How much have you thought about wolves? They make appearances in fairy tales (the Big Bad Wolf is in several) as well as Native American folktales. We know our pet dogs evolved from wolves. You may have even seen a wolf or two. Or perhaps heard one howling or tried to howl like one. But do you know the importance of wolves to some ecosystems? People at Yellowstone Park do. When the wolf population went down it really affected the entire park. Today I get to share a book with you that tells the tale of the success story of bringing back the wolf population at Yellowstone National Park. The book is Why Wolves Matter: A Conservation Success Story by Karen B. Winnick.
About the Book:
Why Wolves Matter: A Conservation Success Story Written and Illustrated by Karen B. WinnickAges: 7-9 | 40 Pages | Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group (2025) | ISBN: 979-8886452846
Publisher’s Book Summary: Where did all the wolves go? The birds, the fish, and the beavers? When the top predator was wiped out, the balance of nature in Yellowstone National Park was disrupted. The circle was broken.
Written in a lyrical style, Why Wolves Matter is an ecological tale that helps children to understand the interconnectedness of all things in the natural world. Once all the wolves were gone, the elk population grew so large that the trees and vegetation on which they fed disappeared, throwing the Park and the remaining wildlife into disarray.
A nonfiction picture book, including a timeline and bibliography, Why Wolves Matter is about the importance of the top predator in nature, how balance was restored in Yellowstone National Park, and how the circle was made whole again—with important historical and scientific relevance for children.
A deeply committed animal person, Karen B. Winnick has created many picture books about animals. She’s a member of an oversight commission for the Los Angeles Zoo, and a member and supporter of many groups working to save animals, including wolves.
Purchase Links
About the Author
Karen Winnick is an author and illustrator of Why Wolves Matter, Can You Spot the Leopard: An African Safari, Good Night, Baby Animals, Mr. Lincoln’s Whiskers, Sybil’s Night Ride, Lucy’s Cave, A Year Goes Round, Barn Sneeze, Cassie’s Sweet Berry Pie, Sandro’s Dolphin and Patch & The Strings. She is the author of The Night of the Fireflies. Her paintings have been exhibited in local galleries, and her poetry has been published in magazines and anthologies. She has also produced a play, Kindertransport, about Jewish children sent to England during WWII.
Karen serves as President of the Board of Commissioners for the Los Angeles Zoo; the Board of Trustees Emeritus at Brown University; the Board of Trustees at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library; the Board of Trustees of Fauna and Flora, International and the Board of Governors Syracuse University Hillel. She has also served on the Board of Trustees of The Jewish Museum in New York and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Council in Washington, D.C.
Karen received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University. She also studied in Florence, Italy, at NYU, the School of Visual Arts, and at the University of California, Los Angeles.
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The book begins with discussing the circle of life in Yellowstone National Park and the other animals that live there with the wolves. It shares a bit about the life of the wolves and how their numbers eventually became so low to none. When this happened the elk herds grew and the slowly the Park changed. Entire forests of trees were dying from feeding the large number of elk. The fish in the river died or didn't return to the river as the elk ate the cottonwood that helped cool the water with their shade. Birds also disappeared as the trees were eaten and dying. More animals left the area as the environment changed and people began to realize the wolves mattered. These people worked on bringing the wolves back in hopes of completing the circle again and helping the Park find balance. They released wolves in the Park and some drifted back to the Park from the North. As the elk population shrunk, other animals returned to the area and the circle became balanced again. The book shares the story and shares that each living thing in the circle matters to keep the entire circle whole.
First, I love how the book shares quotes from Nez Perce Tribal Members in the beginning of the book. It shares a bit of the importance of the wolf to the Nez Perce Tribe as well as other Native American tribes. I also love the detail it goes into about the wolves before they left Yellowstone and how their absence affected the environment and the animal population. It truly demonstrates the dependence life has on the others around. Each part of the circle has a role and if one part is broken the entire circle will suffer. It is such an important message about our Earth. This book is a wonderful true story to celebrate the success. It is great as a stand-alone book and will be perfect for Earth Day. It also lends to the STEM lesson about the circle of life and how if one part disappears it breaks the entire circle and it is important for humans to do their part to keep the balance of the entire circle.
The book is well written, and the illustrations are beautiful. At the end of the book there is an Author's Note explaining her inspiration for the book as well as a timeline sharing the disappearance and reintroduction of the wolves, and a bibliography full of resources to learn more. This book is perfect for talking about the circle of the ecosystem and how it works as well as how we need to do our part to help maintain the balance because our lives depend on the success of the animals around us. The book does a great job of explaining it and sharing this important story to illustrate it.
Wolf Craft Roundup:
To go with this book it makes sense to have a wolf craft, so here are a few from around the web.
1) 3D Paper Wolf Craft from Arty Crafty Kids (template requires paid membership)
2) Wolf Snout for Storytelling (Three Little Pigs)
3) Wolf Paper Bag Puppet from Simple Everyday Mom
5) Toilet Paper Roll Big Bad Wolf from Red Ted Art
The Mommy Evolution shared a wolf book roundup as well.
Giveaway:
Readers who join us on this virtual tour can win a hardcover copy of Why Wolves Matter: A Conservation Success Story. One lucky winner will receive a signed hardcover copy and a $25 gift card to Amazon. Don’t miss out on your chance to win below! Good luck!
