In the author’s note at the back of From Wolf to Woof! Hudson Talbott explains that he had long been interested in the relationship between humans and dogs. As he researched this, he found this to be complex, and wondered how he might integrate all of this in an accessible way. A longtime lover of mythology, Talbott decided to present his findings as a myth–an origin story that expresses a deep truth in a simplified form.
That note was useful, because that’s how I felt when I was reading. This picture book, which tells the story of the domestication and transformation of wolves into dogs, is not literally true, but it does find a way to dramatize the kinds of changes and adjustments both species went through.
Talbott’s illustrations fit this project. The individual images are simple, rather than being artistic, but the image design and relationships are strong, using space and patterns well.
This book will appeal to any dog-struck kids, and maybe some dog-struck adults.
