Is There is a Wolf in the Hollow?

World War II is going on, but in rural Pennsylvania things are pretty peaceful for eleven-year-old Annabelle and her family. She lives on a large farm in Wolf Hollow with her grandparents, parents, and two little brothers. She spends her weekdays in school sitting next to her best friend, Ruth, and weekends are spent doing chores on the farm and going to church. There is a vagabond named Toby who wanders the town and did make Annabelle uneasy, but she came to see that he was harmless and mostly kept to himself. Plus, her mom explained that Toby had gone through a lot during the first world war and he might be a little sad. When Betty Glengarry comes to stay with her grandparents, things change for Annabelle. Betty turns out to be mean. She wants Annabelle to give her money and other objects. Betty bullies kids in class- both boys and girls. With a cruel glint in her eye she harms an innocent animal in front of Annabelle, only to later deny it. Things with Betty continue to escalate until the day she goes missing. The people in town believe Toby must’ve taken her. After all, Betty had just blamed Toby for two terrible deeds that had hurt children in the town. Annabelle believes Betty is the culprit and her heart tells her Toby is innocent. She vows to help him if she can. When the police and neighbors are out searching for Betty, Annabelle goes looking for Toby. What will happen if she finds him? Is he safe to be around? What happened to Betty? Will the townspeople ever believe that Toby is innocent or will they continue to presume he is guilty because he has strange ways about him. You will have to read this book to find out! 

I had heard a lot of wonderful things about Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk, but I had no idea what the book was about. It did not disappoint! I really enjoyed the main character, Annabelle, because I could easily relate to her. She wanted to do the right thing, and she has a very big heart. Every time she told a lie I could tell she wanted to tell the truth, but the lie was necessary. I was so worried when Betty came to town and started bullying Annabelle. I was proud of her when she did the best she could to stand up to Betty. I liked the way the author describes the farm and the woods in the book because I felt like I was there. Also, giving the reader the background that the name Wolf Hollow came from a time when there was an over abundance of wolves in the area and bad things came because of it helped set the stage for the book (don’t want to spoil anything).  I recommend this to people ages 9 and up who enjoy historical fiction and for those who root for what is right. I know underdogs pull at my heart and if they tugs at yours then you will turn the pages just as quickly as I did. This book makes readers think about how we treat people and the judgments that are made based on the way someone looks. I look forward to reading another book by this author soon.

Has anyone else read Wolf Hollow? Or have you read another book by Lauren Wolk? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Reading!

~L

Answer to Monday's Riddle: Howling at the Moon...

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! Friday, Lizzy's review will have us howling at the moon, so stay tuned! See you all around the book block. ; ) ~ F

You sing to me when I'm full, rising misty breath. A scent of wild shadow lurks, bringing life and death. The pack moves on or loner stalks, hunters in the night. From above, I hang on high, circling a light. Oh! Sing to me when I'm full, rising misty breath. Your thickened fur and glowing eyes stir mystics from their rest. 

What is the moon referring to? Answer: Wolf!

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
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FREE COUPON CODE: JM98U


BOOST YOUR SKILLS FOR THE TALKING LIBRARY!
62 original riddles and illustrations
Available in all e-book formats

Sign up to be a part of the Cover Reveal Tour for Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library! The DMS is spilling the secret in September.

Monday's Riddle: Moon Phase...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? Since the moon's in the spotlight, here's a poetic perspective from our neighbor in the sky. ; ) ~ F

You sing to me when I'm full, rising misty breath. A scent of wild shadow lurks, bringing life and death. The pack moves on or loner stalks, hunters in the night. From above, I hang on high, circling a light. Oh! Sing to me when I'm full, rising misty breath. Your thickened fur and glowing eyes stir mystics from their rest. 

What is the moon referring to? Stop by Wednesday for the answer!

I gave you a clue! 

COVER REVEAL TOUR COMING SOON! 

Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library will be out this October. Join in the fun and sign up to help the DMS spread the news! 
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Can They Find the Evidence to Prove They're Clones?

Project Osiris was an experiment to find out what happens when criminal masterminds are cloned and raised in ideal, happy, loving situations. When Tori, Amber, Malik, Eli, and Hector found out that they were part of the experiment they refused to be someone's science project any longer. In Masterminds, the first book in the series, the kids busted out of Serenity, New Mexico, the town where they were brought up. All but Hector survived the escape. Having been sheltered for their whole lives, they knew nothing about the outside world and how it works. Luckily they made it to the private school their friend, Randy, was transferred to after he got too close to the secrets of Project Osiris. Randy gave them a place to stay for a while so they could come up with a plan. When the “purples” (the police from Serenity) showed up at the dormitories their planning time was cut short.The kids had to think smart and break free. It wasn't easy, but they made their way to Denver. Amber knew the best thing to do was to find a police officer and explain their story. After all, cloning humans was illegal, and their so-called parents and everyone else in the experiment deserved to be arrested. Unfortunately, telling a police officer only makes them think you're crazy or messing with them, and Amber gets arrested. The kids realize they need evidence to prove they're clones from master criminals. Since they don’t know which criminals, it's even more important they have proof. On the internet they find out the name of a millionaire who was going to fund Project Osiris, and they set out to find her. But she refused to acknowledge that she knew anything about a cloning experiment. It isn’t easy, but they decide that the only thing they can do is go back to Serenity and the traffic cone factory, where they'd first discovered the truth. The kids know there's evidence there- they’d seen it. When they arrive, the factory had a fire. Could any proof still remain? Will someone in Serenity keep them from going back to freedom? How long can four kids survive on their own without money or a real understanding of the outside world? Read this page turner to find out.

I read the first book in the series last summer, and it ended on a cliffhanger. So I was looking forward to reading Masterminds: Criminal Destiny by Gordon Korman. It started right where book one left off. The format was the same, with Eli, Amber,  Malik, and  Tori each taking different chapters to give us the story through their eyes. One thing I liked was seeing how the characters handled the outside world. They broke a lot of laws, but they were in a tight spot and some of the illegal things they did couldn’t be avoided. After all, they were in an unbelievable situation. The characters grew on me and I liked seeing the way their friendships evolved. Just like the first book in the series- this one ended on a cliffhanger. I found out the third, and last, installment of the series is out- so I hope I can read them in the next couple weeks. I recommend this to kids in fourth grade and up who like mystery and adventure. I know I can’t wait to see what happens to these kids with criminal mastermind DNA.

Has anyone else read Masterminds: Criminal Destiny? Or have you read another book by Gordon Korman? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!

~L

Answer to Monday's Riddle: Prove It!

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! Lizzy's review will deliver the evidence on Friday, so stay tuned! See you all around the book block. ; ) ~ F

Do you want to know the truth? Seek it out like a sleuth. Look for clues to start your quest, proven facts work the best. Once a piece has been found, you can rest on solid ground. The key to solving any mystery is sorting out its hidden history. When you find it- wrong or right- you can't be tricked if you've gained insight. 

What am I looking for? Answer: Evidence/ Proof

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
Make time to riddle and rhyme!
FREE COUPON CODE: JM98U


BOOST YOUR SKILLS FOR THE TALKING LIBRARY!
62 original riddles and illustrations
Available in all e-book formats

Sign up to be a part of our Cover Reveal Tour in September! Join the DMS on their mission to unlock the Talking Library. 
(sign up below or click here for full form)