Expedition on the Tundra

When a group of researchers plans to enter the forest in order to tag wolves, Stacy and her pack know they must flee. Even though the journey is unexpected, Stacy is excited to learn about a new biome. Stacy and the wolves go over the mountains and into the harsh arctic region.

Stacy has always known that her wolves were different than other animals. After all, other wolf packs do not rescue animals and care for an orphan girl, but Stacy’s wolves are beginning to reveal supernatural abilities. While on their journey, Addison finds some hieroglyphics in the snow. Following Addison, the pack goes deeper into the harsh tundra biome. Can they survive long enough to discover where the pack’s supernatural abilities came from?

Stacy’s expedition on the Tundra takes the reader into the artic and introduces them to artic wildlife. While traveling, Stacy and her pack find a narwhal, who is unable to come to the surface to breathe. The pack uses its supernatural abilities to save the narwhal. Even though the animal encounters are interesting, most of the story revolves around Addison finding hieroglyphics. During their travels, the pack begins to display more supernatural abilities. However, the story never explains why the wolves have the abilities, which makes the events unrealistic.

Unlike the previous books in the series, Expedition on the Tundra has some plot elements that are not believable. In just a week, Stacy and her pack are able to travel to the artic, save several animals, study hieroglyphics, and return home. In the conclusion, Stacy and the pack meet an ancient wolf, who dies after a short period of time. Through telepathy, the wolf shows Stacy the humans that left the hieroglyphics. Unfortunately, the conclusion is anticlimactic and leaves the readers with too many questions.

Each chapter begins with an illustration of Stacy’s animal friends. Other black and white illustrations are scattered throughout the story. The illustrations will help readers visualize the story’s events and the hieroglyphics. Some readers may have difficulty with some of the advanced vocabulary, such as annals, emanate, and swath. The end of the book has a word glossary as well as information about a bear biologist.

While the first two books in the Wild Rescuers series have plenty of action and suspense, Expedition on the Tundra’s slow pace may frustrate readers. Along the journey, Stacy and the pack help several animals; however, the rescues lack any element of danger and suspense. In the end, Stacy is able to translate the hieroglyphics, but the writings do not explain why the wolves have powers. Expedition on the Tundra’s focus on the mystery of the wolves’ power lacks excitement and suspense. However, readers who have read the first two books of the series will enjoy Stacy’s evolving relationship with the wolf pack.

Sexual Content

• None

Violence

• None

 Drugs and Alcohol

• None

Language

• None

Supernatural

• Some of the wolves have supernatural abilities. After Basil was struck by lightning, he was able “to run at speeds so fast she could leave a cheetah in her dust. She was also able to summon fire.”
• Noah can breathe underwater.
• Addison can read.
• Everest is “a supernatural wolf, with the ability to hear [Stacy’s] thoughts as plainly as if she was speaking them.” Everest can also make himself “blend in with the tundra.” The first time he does this, “Stacy could still make out the outline of the large wolf. And his piercing silver eyes were still visible. But the rest of him was perfectly camouflaged with the snow.” He can also camouflage the other wolves.
• Wink is “indestructible.”
• When Stacy finds a baby badger, she puts him by Tucker. “Heat began to emanate from Tucker’s body, melting the snow around him and blanketing Stacy and the pack. Stacy couldn’t believe what she was feeling. It was almost as if she was standing in front of the cave’s fireplace.”
• An ancient wolf communicates with Stacy through telepathy. “The elder wolf stirred, lifting his head and pressing his nose to Stacy’s. What happened next, Stacy could only describe as having some type of dream…or vision.”

Spiritual Content

• When a wolf dies, Stacy looks at the Northern Lights and thinks, “I bet that’s the spirit of the elder wolf up there in the sky now watching us.”
• Stacy reads the hieroglyphics, which talk about the wolves’ supernatural powers. The explorers wondered if the wolves’ powers came from “the heavens. Maybe even the aurora itself.”