DEEP IN THE Minnesota forest, where only the strong survive, four regular-sized pups--Leader, Sniffer, Runner, and Thinker--are pushed into the world. Then one last, very small pup is born into the wolf pack. He is called Runt.

From the very start, Runt struggles in the harsh wild world of the wolves. He tries learning along with his brothers and sisters, but makes serious mistakes. It's hard pleasing his father, King, and the other wolves. If only Runt could prove himself to his powerful father and family. . . .

"With an economy of words, Bauer precisely and vividly conveys the wolves' wild world. . . . There's a ready-made audience for this."--"Booklist, Starred

"Beautifully written and faithful to wolves' behavior (explained in an afterword). . . . Bauer portrays the wolves' place in the natural world with compassion, respect, and warmth, but this is also the story of any unique individual's struggle to find his or her niche."--"School Library Journal