Arizona Tribune - Matriarch Wolves of Yellowstone Wins Indie Book Award

IDAHO FALLS, ID / ACCESS Newswire / June 18, 2025 / In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park, Green Kids Club released a children's book titled Wolf Matriarchs of Yellowstone: The Beginning of a New Wolf Era. Written by Green Kids Club founder Sylvia M. Medina and wolf biologist Douglas W. Smith, the book tells the story of the first wolf matriarchs who re-established Yellowstone National Park's wolf population. Their story is brought to life in illustrations by Andreas Wessel-Therhorn. Wolf Matriarchs of Yellowstone was named Book of the Year by the 2025 Creative Child Magazine Awards Program, and won first place in the Indie Book Award's Children's Picture Book Category.

In 1995, 14 wolves were relocated to Yellowstone National Park from an area near Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. These 14 wolves became the first to roam Yellowstone in seventy years since the last pack was hunted to extinction. Among them were Wolf #7 and her daughter Wolf #9, whose stories and legacies unfold in Wolf Matriarchs of Yellowstone. Their bloodlines can be traced to most of the wolves in the park to this day.

Co-author and Green Kids Club founder Sylvia Medina felt inspired to write the book after attending a conference on Yellowstone wolves, where she learned about the threats wolves face. "I was shocked to learn what it takes for the wolves to survive, despite living in the park," she commented. "They are under protection when they are in Yellowstone, but once they cross the boundaries they are often at risk."

"While at the conference, I met Douglas Smith, who was the head wolf biologist for years at Yellowstone. We discussed writing a book, and he said that you can't tell the story of wolves in the park without telling the story of how they returned to the park in the first place. So we dreamt up this book." Medina hopes to impart the message that wolves belong in the wilderness and that they should not have to live in the park to survive.

A Next Generation Indie Book Awards Judge called the book "engaging, interesting, and educational . . . with a combination of an interesting narrative, factual details and stunning artwork. While the young reader may be saddened by the early parts of this book, it ultimately provides a sense of hopefulness, optimism and joy. The work highlighted is in some ways reminiscent of the conservation efforts of the likes of Fossey, Goodall and Galdikas."

Wolf Matriarchs of Yellowstone is the 17th title in the Environmental Hero series, which features stories about animals and their survival, as well as the environmental heroes who work to protect them. In the book, readers learn about Aldo Leopold and the Indigenous and scientific communities who advocated for wolf conservation in Yellowstone. The stories, usually written in collaboration with wildlife experts, take children on adventures while teaching them about conservation, advocacy, and appreciation for animals and their habitats.

About the Wolf Reintroduction Program

For more information about the Yellowstone Wolf Project that reintroduced wolves to Yellowstone National Park, visit www.yellowstone.org/wolf-project/.

About Green Kids Club

Green Kids Club is a renowned provider of educational materials and books aimed at nurturing environmental awareness and fostering a love for the planet's diverse ecosystems. Founded by Sylvia Medina, Green Kids Club is committed to promoting wildlife conservation and environmental stewardship among children and families worldwide. To learn more, visit www.greenkidsclub.com.

Contact Information

Courtney Eickman
[email protected]
215.692.3904

Sylvia Medina
President and Author
[email protected]
(208) 520-8353

SOURCE: Green Kids Club

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

A.O.Scott--AT