Bobcat Rescue

Carol L. MacKay is a children’s librarian living in Bawlf, Alberta.

Maxine Kearney, known as “Max,” loves animals. So when she and her
brother, David, find an abandoned baby bobcat whose mother has been
killed, they are relieved to discover that there is a shelter for wild
animals in their area. But the pair soon learn that the Wild Paws and
Claws Clinic and Rehabilitation Centre is in financial difficulty, so
they work on a scheme to help the centre get back on its feet.

Maxine and David become regular volunteers at the shelter, and their
animal adventures continue in the second book of the Wild Paws series,
Lonely Wolf Pup. In this story, a mysterious couple drops off a trapped
wolf at the centre, and it is up to the siblings and their good friends,
Sarah and Abbie, to help the wolf find its way back to its pack.

Susan Hughes has created an appealing chapter-book series. The
sentences are short, manageable, and skilfully written. The author
doesn’t shy away from occasionally introducing longer, more difficult
words, and readers will be able to understand these in the context of
each sentence and paragraph. Her protagonists are likeable as well as
credible, and the storylines will appeal to young animal lovers. The
author includes a fair bit of information about each of the animals in
their respective stories, and provides an interesting fact sheet at the
end of each book. The black-and-white sketches of the animals add visual
interest. Both titles are good chapter-book choices. Recommended.