HENRY AND THE WHITE WOLF, written by Tim Karu, illustrated by Tyler Karu, Workman Publishing, New York, 2000, 32 pages, $12.95.

Very few things can be more frightening to a child than being sick or hurt. Medical procedures often are painful and scary, especially since Mom and Dad let the doctors do all those awful things. A hospital stay apart from family members, friends, pets, and the comforts and security of home, is unnerving even to seasoned adults, but can be absolutely traumatic for children. Restrictions and limits can frustrate and anger a youngster. And beyond the discomfort of the present lies the uncertainty of the future. What’s gonna happen next? Will I be OK?

Fortunately a Maine sister and brother, Tim and Tyler Karu, still young enough to vividly remember their own childhood experiences with doctors, have reached out to children undergoing medical treatments. “Henry and the White Wolf,” written by Tim and illustrated by Tyler, can really help kids tap into their own sources of inner strength.

Tim is a sophomore at the Waynefleet School in Portland. He enjoys Spanish and history and finds math difficult. In his free time he listens to music, watches movies and creates art on his computer. In a recent phone interview he shared the story behind the story.

Henry, a small but daring hedgehog, lives with his mother, Holly, in a hollow under a stone wall. He learns the ways of the woods more easily than his peers. Among the survival skills he is taught is an admonition never to go near the wolf’s den.

But one day Henry becomes weak and dizzy as he forages for food. Unable to make it all the way home, he waits for Holly to find him. When she discovers him unable to move she makes him a bed of soft grass and goes to the Wise Owl for advice. The owl tells her that the dreaded White Wolf is the only one who can help her beloved son.

After a long, difficult journey Henry and Holly arrive at the White Wolf’s den. The wolf assures them that she will do her best to heal Henry. The cure will not be easy. He will lose his quills and soft fur. But he must never give up. Sure enough there are times when the elixirs he must drink make him feel worse. But gradually Henry’s health and strength return.

Henry’s creation was a true family affair. Tim frequently made up stories for his mother, Candace, while she trained to run the Boston marathon.

“I’d just hop on my bike,” he said. “It wasn’t too difficult. It gave us the chance to have so much quality time.”

Candace told Tim that he could help other children through his story. He enlisted Tyler to do the illustrations. Companies donated the money to print 5,000 copies. But then there was the problem of the stones.

As a child Tyler was given a special stone to hold and gain strength from during medical treatments. The story’s hero, Henry, is given a beautiful rounded stone to maintain his courage. Tim wanted each book to include such a stone. Even in New England’s rocky soil locating 5,000 perfect stones can be a formidable task. The family reached out to friends and community, including a local Boy Scout troop, for help. According to Tim some volunteers searched up to three hours at a time. Workman Publishing has included the stone in its edition. Journal pages titled “The Times I Have Been Brave” also help each child reader really make this book his or her own.

Tim and Tyler are donating their royalties to children’s hospitals. Tim declared, “If it helps one more kid find it easier to deal with their illness it will be all worth it.”