The Story of Romeo

Written by Joel Bennett

Illustrated by Lue Isaac

Published by Daytime Star Books

Hardcover, Dust Jacket

2023

SIGNED First Edition by Both Author and Illustrator

Like New Hardcover. The book and dust jacket are clean, covers attached, secure binding, crisp inner pages, unmarked, no writing, no highlighting, no stains, no fading, no ripped pages, no edge chipping, no corner folds, no crease marks, no remainder marks, not ex-library. Very faint to indiscernible signs of dust jacket wear from use, storage and handling.

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From the Author

In writing this tribute to the remarkable and unique creature that Romeo was, I knew the story had to be told from his point of view. I wanted to imagine what he was thinking. Gazing up at the starry night, what wonderment did he feel?   What joy came to him from the sun setting over the glacier, or the first birdsong of spring? And what did he see in other living things that instilled trust? Though it may be argued that the answers to these questions are unknowable, with Romeo you felt that you could know. For me, such answers – through his presence, spoke to a beautiful life. Watching him for over six years, I often thought of him as a goodwill ambassador for a tribe — a tribe that has been unjustly feared and wronged by oppression over time. With the exception of his fictional Raven friend, all of the events and interactions in the story actually happened. As for his thoughts, who could say it wasn’t so.

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About the Author

An Alaska resident for over 50 years,  Joel Bennett  has a deep connection to wilderness and wolf country. His award-winning nature films from around the world have spoken eloquently on behalf of the special places and animals that must be conserved for future generations. A lawyer by training, he has written many documentary film scripts, articles for national magazines and two full-length stage plays. This is his first book for the young reader, a demographic he considers critical for the future of wildlife conservation.   He lives in Juneau, Alaska.

About the Illustrator

Lue Isaac  is a life-long artist who has explored many art forms, painted with many accomplished and celebrated artists, and managed to support herself and educate her children by utilizing her skills in the fields of residential architecture and interior design.

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Romeo  (  2003 – 2009) was a black  wolf  who lived in the  Mendenhall Valley, near  Juneau, Alaska. He was known for his friendly interactions with dogs and people. Romeo was an  Alexander Archipelago wolf  (Canis lupus ligoni, a type of  gray wolf) who lived around  Mendenhall Glacier  between 2003 and 2009. He interacted more or less successfully with locals, tourists,  cross-country skiers, and their dogs for six years up until he was killed by  poachers.

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The  Alexander Archipelago  is a 300-mile (480  km) long  archipelago  (group of islands) in  North America  lying off the southeastern coast of  Alaska. It contains about 1,100 islands, the tops of submerged coastal mountains that rise steeply from the  Pacific Ocean. Deep channels and  fjords  separate the islands and cut them off from the mainland. The islands shelter the northern part of the  Inside Passage  as it winds its way among them. The islands have irregular,  steep coasts  and dense  evergreen  and  temperate rain forests; most are accessible only by boat or by airplane. The vast majority of the islands are part of the  Tongass National Forest.

In order of land area, the  largest islands  are  Prince of Wales Island,  Chichagof Island,  Admiralty Island,  Baranof Island,  Revillagigedo Island,  Kupreanof Island,  Kuiu Island,  Etolin Island,  Dall Island,  Wrangell Island,  Mitkof Island,  Zarembo Island,  Kosciusko Island,  Kruzof Island,  Annette Island,  Gravina Island, and  Yakobi Island. All the islands are rugged, densely forested, and have an abundance of wildlife.

The  Tlingit  and  Kaigani Haida  people are native to the area. The  Tsimshian  people found on  Annette Island  are not originally from the area, having immigrated to the region from  British Columbia  in the late 19th century. Ketchikan  on Revillagigedo Island and  Sitka  on Baranof Island are the largest towns on the islands. The most populous neighborhoods of the largest town in the region,  Juneau, stand on the mainland, though portions of the city also lie on  Douglas Island, which is a part of the archipelago. Tourism, fishing, and logging are the main industries of the islands.