Noe’s Comics Nook: Wild Thing Or My Life As A Wolf

Review

Silver is an affectionate and curious farm dog who is supposed to be guarding the sheep but is often in trouble with farmer John for his unwillingness to bark. After a rough first, and second, encounter with a pack of wolves, Silver finds himself lost in the wilds as part of the pack (though now, not-so-affectionately referred to as ‘Toy’). Silver takes this all in stride as this unexpected journey offers him a chance to explore the wilder world as his curiosity always pushed him to do, but it is far from an easy, safe path back home.

Originally published in French, Wild Thing offers a meditation on freedom – what it is worth, what boundaries exist (self-imposed, imposed by nature, imposed by others), and what lengths are we willing to go to have it. While the narrative itself has some time jumps that don’t flow entirely well, the artwork is lovely, particularly the coloring, which can alone tell you what mood the characters are in at any given moment. I’m sure every reader will find a favorite animal character (beyond Silver) – for me, it is without question the older turtle in the middle of the book.

Important to know that while Wild Thing is marketed as an all ages book, there are some instances of violence (John hits Silver and there are regular predator/prey interactions) that may be upsetting to younger readers. There are also instances of swearing and a puppy-producing encounter between Silver and another character.

In this instance, appropriateness is going to vary widely based on reader in question.

Elements of Story

Plot: Farm dog Silver spends his days monitoring hundreds of sheep, but he admittedly spends more time daydreaming of “what’s out there” than barking to fend off wildlife. When he suddenly finds himself part a pack in the forest, a journey to explore the boundaries of freedom begins.
Characters: Silver, John, Charlie, Many Sheep, Wolves (Male, Female, one unknown), Many Cows, Princess, Turtles (many young, one grandfatherly), John’s Family, Coyote, Vet, Various Wildlife, Various unnamed humans
Major Settings: Farm Store, Highway, John’s Farm, The Pond, The Hill, The Grove, The Stream, The Forest, North Farm, Poultry Farm, Big Lights, City, Vet Clinic, Royal Oak Part, Zoo
Themes: Freedom, Limits, Animal Welfare, Wilderness vs Development

Lesson Plan Idea Using Common Core Standards (CCS)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3 – Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).

Directions: As noted by author Clayton Junior in an interview with Claudio Yuge at the end of Wild Thing, the major theme of the story is freedom – what it is, what limits there might be on it. This theme is showcased not just in the journey of our main character, Silver, but in many of the supporting characters and even those who appear briefly.

For this assignment, students are asked to choose two characters from the story and create a timeline of their experiences in the plot. This first pass is about capturing their location, actions, and relationships with other characters. Once this outline is in place for both characters, students are then to compare and contrast how the theme of freedom is expressed through these characters. Educator should encourage students to reflect on this quote from the older turtle, “And now we are bound to live inside boundaries that are strange to our very souls.” What boundaries are the two characters the student is analyzing have to reckon with?