Wolf Hollow

by Lauren Wolk

A Newbery Honor Book
New York Times Bestseller

“Wolf Hollow has stayed with me long after I closed the book. It has the feel of an instant classic." —Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author of A Long Walk to Water

“This book matters.” —Sara Pennypacker, New York Times bestselling author of Pax

Despite growing up in the shadows cast by two world wars, Annabelle has lived a mostly quiet, steady life in her small Pennsylvania town. Until the day new student Betty Glengarry walks into her class. Betty quickly reveals herself to be cruel and manipulative, and though her bullying seems isolated at first, it quickly escalates. Toby, a reclusive World War I veteran, soon becomes the target of Betty’s attacks. While others see Toby’s strangeness, Annabelle knows only kindness. And as tensions mount in their small community, Annabelle must find the courage to stand as a lone voice for justice.

The brilliantly crafted debut of Newbery Honor– and Scott O'Dell Award–winning author Lauren Wolk (Beyond the Bright Sea, Echo Mountain), Wolf Hollow is a haunting tale of America at a crossroads and a time when one girl’s resilience, strength, and compassion help to illuminate the darkest corners of history. 

• ISBN10: 0606408770
• ISBN13: 9780606408776
• Publish Date: 3 April 2018 (first published 3 May 2016)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 13 September 2023
• Imprint: Turtleback Books
• Edition: Bound for Schools & Libraries ed.
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

Wolf Hollow brings readers to rural western Pennsylvania, where World War II is hovering ominously in the background but has mostly passed young protagonist Annabelle by.  Rather, her biggest issue is the new girl at school, Betty, who seems determined to make her life miserable.

The setting of Wolf Hollow is definitely one of its strong points. I found it fascinating to read about a place that, technically, is the middle of the 1940s, but because of it's rural location often looks like something out of an L.M. Montgomery novel (late 1800s/early 1900s).  While the characters have electricity and other conveniences we would recognize today, the children still attend school in a one-room schoolhouse and seem primarily invested in playing and helping out on the family farm.  I also was intrigued by how the ongoing war seemed both present and absent in the novel, something Annabelle is aware of but isn't directly affected by.

The characters are interesting and sharply drawn.  I felt like most of them are round, and most are willing to change their habits or opinions when new information presented itself; they have recognizable characteristics, but they never get into a rut.  Protagonist Annabelle is spunky and brave, even when she is sure she is not, and her friendship with Toby is one of the highlights of the novel.  Her family, schoolmates, and neighbors, all come equally to life, however.

I have seen numerous comparisons to To Kill a Mockingbird, and while I agree the themes of othering and judgement are similar, this is a hard sell for me because To Kill a Mockingbird just seems like a better book. It's well-written, in prose and structure, and it treats its themes with an amazing blend of empathy, complexity, and subtlety.  Wolf Hollow has solid prose, so no complaints there, but the treatment of tough, complicated themes simply isn't on the same level.  The narration often states things explicitly in the sense of "People don't trust citizens of German heritage because the US is at war with Germany," but without any real delving into the issue.  In fact, I think this book in large part about bullying more than it is about some of the more political themes it alludes to, ones relating to the current World War II and ones related to the aftermath of World War I.  Those things are there, but the narrative is so very much on the new girl at school being a jerk and a bully to everyone around her, with or without motivation.

Other readers have commented on how dark the book is, and I grant that (even as I'm arguing that it seems to skirt some of the darkest issues).  I disagree, however, with assertions that this necessarily means the book is not appropriate for children or is somehow not "really" a middle grade book.  It is, indeed, different from much of the middle grade on the market--but I think that's a feature, not a flaw.  Readers don't want books to seem factory produced, to feel that there's only one aesthetic for a middle grade book.  Certainly, if you're considering giving this book to a child, take into account their individual ability to read about dark topics and depressing events.  Not all the loose ends tie up nice and rosy here.  But I think this is very much a middle grade book that will find middle school age readers.

[Beth C.]

11-going-on-12. It can be a hard age, more so when the country is in the middle of a war. Regardless, living on a farm can be too quiet, too...boring. But watch what you wish for, because sometimes wishes do come true. In this case, the quiet disappears when Betty moves into town. She has been sent to live with her grandparents because she is "incorrigible". Annabelle has to look that one up in the school dictionary, but it doesn't take long before she gets firsthand experience of exactly what that means. As Betty begins bullying her, things move from bad to worse as another student is badly injured and Betty blames it on someone else. As things begin to spiral out of control, Annabelle learns some hard lessons about life, love, friendship, and loyalty.

I came into this book with absolutely no expectations, and I finished it overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions. It's a beautiful book, in a way that too few are. It's been compared with a certain classic, and I can certainly see where those comparisons come from - though that sort of thing drives me crazy. However, I can say with no hesitation that this book will stand as a top read for me in 2016.

The writing is lovely. Not melodramatic, not overly wordy - just what it needs to be. Simple and true. The characters are done so well that they felt like friends I wasn't able to spend nearly enough time with. The setting rings true in a way that some don't, and it's obvious that the author has spent time on a farm. But it's the story that will leave you breathless when it's over, that propels you along like a current before it sets you on shore, wrung out and trying to understand what just happened.

Ultimately, this story is about injustice - those who perpetuate it, and those who have the courage to stand up to it. We have all seen or experienced injustice in our lives, and sometimes it can be hard to fight against it. For some, it's like fighting the tide - they are simply struggling to keep their heads above water. For others, it's the retribution they fear, for those who are unjust don't often worry about adding another name to their list. But for some, injustice is simply wrong and trying to fix it is the honest thing to do. And even then "Sometimes things come out right...Sometimes they don't.". And when you're 11-going-on-12, well...sometimes the hardest lessons to learn are the ones that are the most meaningful.