The Call of the Wild
Acceptable with guidance. Age: 12+. A Catholic review of this book for parents.
Our review
Buck is a big pet dog who is stolen and made to pull sleds in the frozen North. Some men are cruel to him, but one kind man named John Thornton saves him and Buck loves him. In the end Buck goes to live with the wolves. The book has a lot of fighting and blood, so it is best for kids about twelve and up. This is a short and powerful classic and the Cardinal Newman Society list carries it for grades 5 to 8. Buck's love for Thornton is the best thing in it. But the book's world runs on the law of club and fang, where the strong rule and the weak die. That is not how a Christian sees the world. Read it with your child and talk about what makes people different from animals.
For parents
Read aloud from about ten for a child who can handle animal suffering. Independent reading from twelve, following Common Sense Media's 12+. Plugged In says 9 to 13, so know your child. The violence is heavy. Common Sense Media reports men beating dogs with clubs and whips, dogs fighting to the death, and lots of bloody details. Plugged In adds that Buck kills some of the Yeehat tribesmen after they kill Thornton. Ask: is Buck's revenge right? Would it be right for a person? Explain that a dog acts on instinct, but a person has a spiritual, immortal soul, with reason and free will, and is made in the image of God. For us the strong are meant to protect the weak, not rule them. Point out the cruel owners and ask how we should treat animals God has put in our care. Explain that 'half-breed' is an insult and that the picture of the Native tribe is unfair.