One day in "The Other World," an Alaskan wolf named Blue Wolf and an African boy meet in a zoo. At first, they just stare at each other, but then they begin to read through each other's eyes the hardships each has faced.

Blue Wolf and his family have spent every day trying to escape from bands of hunters. Everything is fine until one day, when hunters see Shiny Straw, Blue Wolf's sister. Blue Wolf is successful in saving her but loses an eye and ends up being sent to several zoos.

Meanwhile, in another part of the story in Gray Africa, the African boy is given to a trader when he's a baby. As he grows older, he becomes a great storyteller and begins to attract many people and animals with his stories. But then the trader has to sell the camel and all of his supplies. The African boy starts telling a story about him being a shepherd and the King of Goats worrying about how to protect his goats from the hyenas. He suggests that he give the hyenas something else to eat and hide the goats in the thorny bushes. The plan works at first, but then one of the goats is found dead. He decides that he wants to go back to his cousin's house. But then the bus runs off the road and the boy loses consciousness; his parents eventually find him and take him back to their house.

When they arrive, they nurse him until he's better. The boy then begins helping his parents with the housework. Everything is fine, but soon the forest begins to thin out, trees start falling, and food gets scarce. Will the family be able to find a home? Or will they have to survive on their own?

I liked this book because I liked how the wolf and the boy were able to understand each other and become friends, and that they were able to move on with their lives. The Blue Wolf's personality reminds me of my own personality because I don't laugh very much and I always take things seriously. What do the characters remind you of? If you like reading stories about the relationships between animals and people, you will like this book!

   --- Reviewed by Ashley Hartlaub