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Quick answer: If you loved Wolf Girl, try WeirDo, Hatchet, The Wild Robot, Pax, A Wolf Called Wander and Julie of the Wolves. Each one is an exciting animal adventure about a brave kid surviving in the wild with loyal four-legged friends.
Anh Do's Wolf Girl series, illustrated by Jeremy Ley, follows Gwen, a girl who is separated from her family when her city is suddenly attacked. Alone in the forest, she survives with the help of a group of dogs who become her pack, and she sets out to find her family. The short chapters, pictures and fast action make it popular with young readers. These books share its animal friendships, its survival and its courage.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| WeirDo | Anh Do | 6-10 | kids who want more Anh Do |
| Hatchet | Gary Paulsen | 10-13 | kids who love survival stories |
| The Wild Robot | Peter Brown | 7-11 | kids who like animals helping each other |
| Pax | Sara Pennypacker | 9-12 | kids who love a boy and his fox |
| A Wolf Called Wander | Rosanne Parry | 8-12 | kids who want a real wolf's journey |
| Julie of the Wolves | Jean Craighead George | 10-13 | kids who want a classic |
| Island of the Blue Dolphins | Scott O'Dell | 9-12 | kids who like girls surviving alone |
| Wolf Brother | Michelle Paver | 9-13 | kids who like ancient adventures |
| The Wolf Wilder | Katherine Rundell | 9-12 | kids who like snowy adventures |
| Survivors: The Empty City | Erin Hunter | 8-12 | kids who want a dog pack |
| Warriors: Into the Wild | Erin Hunter | 8-12 | kids who love animal clans |
| My Side of the Mountain | Jean Craighead George | 9-12 | kids who dream of living outdoors |
| The Call of the Wild | Jack London | 11+ | older kids who want a classic dog story |
| Ninja Kid | Anh Do | 6-10 | kids who like Anh Do's humor |
| The One and Only Ivan | Katherine Applegate | 8-12 | kids who love animal narrators |
1. WeirDo by Anh Do
A boy with a funny name tries to fit in at a new school.
Best for: kids who want more Anh Do.
2. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
A boy survives alone in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash.
Best for: kids who love survival stories.
3. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
A robot learns to survive on a wild island.
Best for: kids who like animals helping each other.
4. Pax by Sara Pennypacker
A boy and his pet fox are separated by war.
Best for: kids who love a boy and his fox.
5. A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry
A young wolf travels across the American West to find a new home.
Best for: kids who want a real wolf's journey.
6. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
A girl lost on the Alaskan tundra is protected by wolves.
Best for: kids who want a classic.
7. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
A girl lives alone for years on an island off California.
Best for: kids who like girls surviving alone.
8. Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver
A boy and a wolf cub journey through a prehistoric forest.
Best for: kids who like ancient adventures.
9. The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell
A girl trains wolves to return to the wild in old Russia.
Best for: kids who like snowy adventures.
10. Survivors: The Empty City by Erin Hunter
A dog must survive with a pack after a disaster strikes the city.
Best for: kids who want a dog pack.
11. Warriors: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
A house cat joins a clan of wild cats.
Best for: kids who love animal clans.
12. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
A boy runs away to live in the Catskill Mountains.
Best for: kids who dream of living outdoors.
13. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
A dog is stolen and taken to the Yukon gold rush.
Best for: older kids who want a classic dog story.
14. Ninja Kid by Anh Do
A clumsy boy discovers he comes from a family of ninjas.
Best for: kids who like Anh Do's humor.
15. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
A gorilla in a mall decides to help a baby elephant.
Best for: kids who love animal narrators.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Wolf Girl: 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 Wolf Girl. 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
Younger readers who loved Anh Do's style should try WeirDo or Ninja Kid for laughs. For the survival adventure, Hatchet, Island of the Blue Dolphins and My Side of the Mountain are classics. If the dogs and wolves were the best part, A Wolf Called Wander, The Wolf Wilder and Survivors are perfect next reads. Kids ready for something longer can move on to Wolf Brother or The Call of the Wild.
Related: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell: Summary and Key Takeaways · My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Wolf Girl about?
A girl named Gwen is separated from her family and survives in the forest with a loyal pack of dogs.
What age is Wolf Girl for?
It is usually enjoyed by readers aged about 7 to 11.
Who wrote Wolf Girl?
Anh Do, the Australian author of WeirDo and Ninja Kid, with pictures by Jeremy Ley.
Is Wolf Girl a series?
Yes. It is a multi-book series, so readers can follow Gwen's journey across several books.
Is Wolf Girl scary?
It has danger and tense moments, but it is written for young readers.