First published 2004
Runt enters the world last and smallest among his wolf siblings in the Minnesota forest. His brothers and sisters have names that match their strengths: Leader, Sniffer, Runner, and Thinker. Runt has no such advantage. He stumbles through lessons that come naturally to the others. He fails at tasks his littermates master easily. His father King expects excellence from every member of the pack. The harsh wilderness demands strength and skill from all who would survive its challenges. Runt must find a way to prove his worth to King and earn his place among wolves who value power above all else. His struggle becomes a test of whether the smallest pack member can discover his own unique strength in a world that seems designed to crush the weak.
Genres: fiction, animals, family-life, coming-of-age
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, underdog
Setting: Minnesota
144 pages · Paperback · Yearling