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Quick answer: If you loved Julie of the Wolves, try Julie, My Side of the Mountain, Hatchet, Island of the Blue Dolphins, A Wolf Called Wander and The Call of the Wild. Each one is a survival or animal adventure about kids living in the wild and finding their strength.
Jean Craighead George's 1972 Newbery Medal winner follows Miyax, an Inupiaq girl also called Julie, who runs away from an unhappy arranged marriage and gets lost on the Alaskan tundra. Starving, she watches a wolf pack, learns their language and is accepted by them, especially the leader Amaroq. As she survives, she must decide between traditional ways and the modern world. Readers love its nature and courage. These books share its survival and animals.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julie | Jean Craighead George | 10-13 | readers who want the sequel |
| My Side of the Mountain | Jean Craighead George | 9-12 | readers who want more George |
| Hatchet | Gary Paulsen | 10-13 | readers who love survival |
| Island of the Blue Dolphins | Scott O'Dell | 9-12 | readers who like girls surviving alone |
| A Wolf Called Wander | Rosanne Parry | 8-12 | readers who love wolves |
| The Call of the Wild | Jack London | 11+ | readers who like Alaskan dogs |
| White Fang | Jack London | 11+ | readers who like wolves |
| Wolf Brother | Michelle Paver | 9-13 | readers who like ancient survival |
| The Wolf Wilder | Katherine Rundell | 9-12 | readers who like wolves and snow |
| Sign of the Beaver | Elizabeth George Speare | 9-12 | readers who like frontier friendship |
| Pax | Sara Pennypacker | 9-12 | readers who like animal bonds |
| The Birchbark House | Louise Erdrich | 9-12 | readers who like Indigenous stories |
| Wolf Hollow | Lauren Wolk | 10-13 | readers who like courage |
| Brian's Winter | Gary Paulsen | 10-13 | readers who want winter survival |
| Never Cry Wolf | Farley Mowat | 12+ | readers who want a true wolf study |
1. Julie by Jean Craighead George
Julie returns to her father's village.
Best for: readers who want the sequel.
2. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
A boy lives alone in the Catskills.
Best for: readers who want more George.
3. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
A boy survives alone after a crash.
Best for: readers who love survival.
4. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
A girl lives alone on an island.
Best for: readers who like girls surviving alone.
5. A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry
A young wolf's journey.
Best for: readers who love wolves.
6. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
A dog in the Yukon.
Best for: readers who like Alaskan dogs.
7. White Fang by Jack London
A wolf-dog's life.
Best for: readers who like wolves.
8. Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver
A boy and a wolf cub.
Best for: readers who like ancient survival.
9. The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell
A girl trains wolves.
Best for: readers who like wolves and snow.
10. Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
A boy is helped by a Penobscot boy.
Best for: readers who like frontier friendship.
11. Pax by Sara Pennypacker
A boy and his fox.
Best for: readers who like animal bonds.
12. The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
An Ojibwe girl's year in 1847.
Best for: readers who like Indigenous stories.
13. Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
A girl stands up to a bully.
Best for: readers who like courage.
14. Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen
Brian survives a winter.
Best for: readers who want winter survival.
15. Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat
A biologist studies Arctic wolves.
Best for: readers who want a true wolf study.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Julie of the Wolves: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Julie of the Wolves. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Read Julie next to continue the story. For survival, Hatchet and Island of the Blue Dolphins are classics. If you love wolves, A Wolf Called Wander, The Wolf Wilder and Never Cry Wolf are perfect. The Birchbark House is a wonderful Indigenous story.
Related: My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George: Summary and Key Takeaways · Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Julie of the Wolves about?
An Inupiaq girl lost on the Alaskan tundra survives with help from a wolf pack.
Did it win the Newbery?
Yes, in 1973.
What age is it for?
It suits readers about 10 to 13.
Are there sequels?
Yes. Julie and Julie's Wolf Pack.
Who is Amaroq?
The leader of the wolf pack.
Why is it challenged?
It includes a scene of attempted assault.
What should I read next?
My Side of the Mountain.
What does Miyax learn from the wolves?
She learns to communicate with them through body language and is accepted into the pack.
Where is it set?
On the Arctic tundra of Alaska's North Slope.