Alfonso and Leopold

An Alaska Adventure

by Patrick Lawrence

Formats

Hardcover

$25.95

Softcover

$15.95

E-Book

$3.99

Hardcover

$25.95

Book Details

Language : English

Publication Date : 10/26/2017

Format : Hardcover

Dimensions : 8.5x11

Page Count : 38

ISBN : 9781480852525

Format : Softcover

Dimensions : 8.5x11

Page Count : 38

ISBN : 9781480852518

Format : E-Book

Dimensions : N/A

Page Count : 38

ISBN : 9781480852501

About the Book

It’s January in Alaska when two wolf pups wake in the dark of night while their parents are out hunting for food. Alfonso is the more adventurous of the two, both curious and brave and always ready for an adventure. Leopold, on the other hand, prefers to stay close to the den.

Alfonso convinces Leopold it’s a great night for an adventure. He says they should find the Great Wolf Spirit. After all, Alfonso argues, wolves are supposed to talk to the Great Wolf Spirit. Leopold reluctantly tags along; it’s better than being left alone. But he remembers how some of their other adventures have turned out.

Alfonso and Leopold, a picture book for children, follows the two brothers as they encounter other animals and humans on a winter night in Alaska. It tells a story of survival, sibling rivalry, and self-discovery.

About the Author

Patrick Lawrence is a former resident of Valdez, Alaska, where he was a faculty member at Prince William Sound Community College. He has traveled extensively throughout Alaska and spends most of his leisure time fishing, hiking, and camping. Patrick lives with his wife in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Venice, Florida.

Editorial Reviews

Alfonso and Leopold: An Alaskan Adventure concerns two wolves who rediscover the joy of home after heading out on a nighttime adventure. Alfonso is a white wolf cub with a bold sense of adventure, while his brother Leopold is black and more cautious. When they wake up one night to find their mother and father away on a hunting expedition, Alfonso decides it’s time to have some fun. He proposes they “get a little fresh air” and “talk to the Great Wolf Spirit.” This Spirit, the narrator informs us, “lived in the sky. He came out to guide and offer advice to wolves everywhere.”

Leopold reluctantly agrees to follow Alfonso. Once out in the January snow, they can’t see the Spirit, so a search begins — one that results in frightening encounters with a mountain lion and a man with a gun. Finally, they find their way home, relieved to see their parents running toward them. The story ends with the family looking up in the sky, only to see the Great Wolf Spirit looking down on them.

Written by a former Alaska resident, this children’s story has many charming features. It is told in plain but evocative language (“The air was cold, quite cold, as it almost always was in the month of January in Alaska”). And the illustrations, framed with a pleasing snowy sky border, lend a sense of both the awe and frigidness of a starry winter night. A short glossary defines a few words young readers might not know, including cheechako, the Alaskan word for newcomer. The main drawback is that some pages contain too much text for a children’s picture book. Fortunately, the illustrations on the opposite pages are bold enough to keep children engaged.

Overall, this is a well-constructed story about courageous cubs who face real dangers in the snowy wild. Happily, for the comfort of sleepy minds the story offers a pleasant, safe ending.

Also available in hardcover and ebook.
Alfonso and Leopold is an appealing tale of rivalry and exploration.

Patrick Lawrence’s charming picture book Alfonso and Leopold follows two brother wolf pups as they explore the Alaskan wilderness in search of the great wolf spirit.

Alfonso is exuberant and adventurous, happy to be out roaming the world around him. Leopold is cautious and would rather return home. The two wander far away, encountering a hare and a mountain lion before eventually ending up on the outskirts of a village. A man just stepping out of his home shoots a gun at them; they run away in fear, returning to their den and their parents. It is only then that they find the great wolf spirit.

The story is straightforward, without surprise twists and turns. The relationship between the brothers suggests a familiar fraternal rivalry. Alfonso takes the dominant role, pushing his brother beyond his comfort zone. Leopold’s more careful nature is just as significant, helping to keep both brothers safe in their adventure.

The Alaskan landscape is the backdrop for the story, and though exploration is limited, it may inspire curiosity. The pair encounters only a few other animals on their journey, and humans are set up as the most dangerous. Parents may need to explain the behavior of the man with the gun.

Digitally rendered illustrations match the text, but they are not memorable. There is a significant amount of text on each page, and early readers may require some assistance. A word list at the beginning of the story defines four new words alongside key facts about wolves, adding a teaching element. A coloring page at the end of the story is a nice touch.

Alfonso and Leopold is an appealing tale of rivalry and exploration.

Reviewed by Catherine Thureson
September 11, 2018
In Lawrence’s debut picture book, two young wolves explore snowy terrain and find more than they bargained for.

Alfonso and Leopold are very different wolf pups: Alfonso likes adventure and throws caution to the wind, while Leopold is a homebody who prefers his full name to his brother’s nickname for him, “Leo.” One night, after Alfonso convinces Leopold to leave their den, they realize that the Great Wolf Spirit—the moon—is nowhere to be seen. Alfonso leads a trek to find it, repeatedly certain that they’ll find it just over the next hill. On the way, they chase a rabbit who hides in a burrow, very cleverly shown in a split underground/aboveground illustration; encounter a mountain lion cub and its angry mother; and discover a human village. Alfonso realizes that his brother’s caution is sometimes merited, and Leopold gains the confidence to give his brother a nickname. The use of the term “Great Wolf Spirit” for the moon never feels entirely natural, and there’s not a lot of character growth here. However, the pups’ adventures are sure to appeal to youngsters, and the playful, cartoonish illustrations—particularly those that feature the northern lights—are eye-catching. A glossary defines some of the tougher vocabulary words (such as “Cheechako—an inexperienced beginner”).

An entertaining, picaresque tale, complemented by cuddly illustrations.

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