Wolf Christmas

by Daniel Pinkwater, Jill Pinkwater (Illustrator)

On the longest night of the year, a family of wolves takes a run through the woods to see the unusual sight of a human family’s Christmas celebration.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1998

About the author

Daniel Manus Pinkwater is an author of mostly children's books and is an occasional commentator on National Public Radio. He attended Bard College. Well-known books include Lizard Music, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, Fat Men from Space, Borgel, and the picture book The Big Orange Splot. Pinkwater has also illustrated many of his books in the past, although for more recent works that task has passed to his wife Jill Pinkwater.

Reviews

[Wendi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little children's book i picked up at Goodwill today. I love wolves so it had to come home with me. While Christmas is in the title it's only hinted at towards the end of the book. It's a sweet story about a wolf pack, told by one of its members, as they enjoy a snowy night. They keep away from humans as they're considered bad, but the wolves hear of them celebrating because it's a special night. They go to a hill that overlooks the town to see what the humans are up to. As they watch they decide humans aren't so bad and are really just animals too, so when the humans sing the wolves join in with howls. I especially loved the illustrations. Definitely recommend to wolf-lovers everywhere.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very cute little tale, though it raises a lot of questions (why is the narrating wolf's name Stinkface? It reminds me of something I'd jokingly call one of my fur babies; why does Uncle Louis only come visit instead of being part of the pack?; why do we have wolves named Stinkface, Tanglefoot, Peewee, and Aunt Fang, but also wolves named Louis and Robert?).

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this was so stupid. Right out of the gate I didn’t like it, and my opinion didn’t improve.

I didn’t like anything about it. The illustrations are not good. The writing is so bad. The wolves looked really weird at times. They have crazy names. Tanglefoot, Peewee, Stinkface, then randomly, Robert, Aunt Fang, Uncle Louis. Just no.

The 3 pups woke up and started playing and it ran through the sequence of their play—very exciting with them taking a stick from each other and rolling around and stuff. Then their dad told them their uncle was coming and they loved Uncle Louis and their mom told their dad they like uncle Louis and the pups said “We love Uncle Louis.” We got that the first time.
They ran through the woods and he led them to the top of a hill where they saw houses lit up for Christmas and light shining out and smells. And they all howled. And that was really it. Some story.

It was so stupid to me and pointless, not the story I expected.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Someone who loves wolves would probably love this book. I wanted there to be something more interesting than the wolves sniffing the air filled with Christmas smells and sounds outside the village, but I suppose that's all that would really happen if wolves noticed humans celebrating Christmas.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wolves gather for an uncle's visit, then run to see a village decorated for Christmas. I wasn't wild about Jill Pinkwater's illustrations, though if you're looking for a book about animals at Christmas that isn't too cutesy, this should be just your cup of tea.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice story of a pack of wolves, a family, who get a visit from a fun uncle who convinces them to look and see what the humans are doing on this special night in December.

[Kris Dersch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and sweet but I wanted it to be more...Pinkwater.

[Sherry Scheline · Rating 4 out of 5]

It does not read as poetically as I would like, but it is a nice story and wonderful to think of the animals outside on Christmas and how they would see us as humans:

[Anna Wooliver Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love wolves! 🐺

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first encountered this book while doing storytime as a museum guide at a Christmas event. I immediately regretted not knowing about it sooner, as I loved wolves as a kid. The art is whimsical and sure to please any animal or wildlife lover. This simple yet satisfying story has Christmas in the title but not in the text itself and is pretty universal to any Midwinter/Solstice holiday, as it is about making it through the longest night of the year ("or just about") together, with company and song. It would be a great read for Yule, Christmas, or any other winter celebration, and could be an especially great pick if you have a family or extended family from multiple faith backgrounds, be they pagan, Christian, non-religious, or anything else under the sun.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not your typical Pinkwater book. It wasn't full of quirky humor, just an unusual observation of how Christmas celebrations might look to the animals who observe humans from afar. Still, it was a nice book and I enjoyed it.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Pinkwater book I found at the library that I had never read.
It was good, not great, just good.

The bar is set too high for Pinkwater - I anticipate and expect genius everytime - maybe the next one.

Not one of my favorites.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

1st person in the book is from a wolf's perspective. Most of the book is the wolves playing together. They find a human village in the end and sing.

[Elesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The number one thing I learned from this book is that I DON'T love everything Daniel Pinkwater has ever written. I know it is crazy, but it is true.

[Bvlmc Buchanan Verplanck Elementary School · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pack of wolves frolic in the snow until Uncle Louis arrives and takes them to see a village all lit up for Christmas.

[Liz Todd · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty pictures. Not a lot of plot... Also, do not like when people count humans as animals.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 4yo was disappointed that the wolves didn't actually celebrate Christmas but I thought it was an interesting story.