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The Monster Librarian Presents:

Reviews of Werewolf Fiction for Young Adults

Outside of vampires , one of the most iconic horror monsters are werewolves: human beings who due to mystical curses or biological manipulation are able to turn into wolves or something in-between human and wolf.   Whether these are tormented souls who have suffered, or monsters who revel in their predatory nature, they make wonderful creatures for horror novels.

Red Rider's Hood by Neal Shusterman*New Review

Puffin, 2006

ISBN: 0142406783

Available: New

            Red Rider’s Hood is the second book in Neal Shusterman’s Dark Fusion series, which melds dark fantasy and horror with traditional fairytales. Red Rider’s Hood is a take on the story of Red Riding Hood.  In this version, Red, a sixteen year old boy finds himself thrust into the world of the supernatural when he tries to infiltrate The Wolves, a local gang of werewolves that has been terrorizing his neighborhood.  Red Rider’s Hood is a nice book for reluctant readers. It has plenty of action and the pacing is quick.  It grabs the reader easily, and the plot twists keep the story moving. Readers of Darren Shan’s Cirque du Freak books will want to check this one out.  Recommended.

Contains: Violence

The Wolving Time by Patrick Jennings
Scholastic, 2005
ISBN: 0439395569
Available: New and Used

Outside a village in sixteenth- century France, thirteen year old Laszlo Emberek and his parents tend their sheep. They are a most unusual group of shepherds: Laszlo’s parents are werewolves, and Laszlo himself is anticipating the time when he too may choose to make the change. A Basque girl running away from the village’s cruel priest witnesses Laszlo’s mother’s change, but promises to keep the family’s secret. Although Laszlo’s parents fear the priest, they risk his disapproval by hiding her, and he retaliates by sending a search party to arrest them and burn them at the stake as werewolves and witches. There are scenes of terrible cruelty in The Wolving Time, as the priest and the town are determined to root out witches at any cost, and these contrast dramatically with the Embereks’ peaceful existence and respect for life. Laszlo’s choice to make the transformation from human to wolf is memorable, and his expanding awareness of the human world as well as the natural world add to this unusual coming-of-age story. The evil here comes not from the shapeshifters, but from human cruelty and fear. Contains: graphic descriptions of torture, vivid scenes of cruelty and witch-burning, and mild nudity during werewolf transformations. Grades 5-9. Recommended. Entry by Francesca the Librarian
 

The Wereling: Resurrection by Stephen Cole

The Wereling: Resurrection is the third book in the Wereling trilogy, Tom and Kate , still hunted by werewolves, go to Chicago to find out what is happening at  a meeting of pureblood werewolves arranged by the power-hungry werewolf Takapa.  Tapaka's evil plan involves a mummy body found in a peat bog, a group of missing scientists, and some German mystics.   Cole's final book in the series is just as gripping as the other two books, with its fast-paced plot and plenty of action.  This book also finally gives closure to the romantic tension between Tom and Kate.  There have been constant hints throughout the series that they have feelings for each other, but nothing comes of it because if Kate and Tom have sex then it will release Kate's werewolf side that she is seeking to suppress.  Contains: violence and a little gore.

The Wereling: Prey by Stephen Cole

The continued saga of Kate Folan, the daughter of werewolves,  and Tom Anderson, who has turned into a wereling, a werewolf whose humanity is able to dominate his werewolf form.  Kate and Tom are still on the run from Kate's mother. They are trying to find the mysterious Jicaque, a medicine man who might have the cure to Tom's lycanthropy, in Manhattan.  While in Manhattan, they are thrust into a plot by the werewolf Takapa, who is trying to raise an army of werewolves, using the gangs of New York as their building block.   Cole's second book is a solid addition to the series, with plenty of action and twists and turns to his story.  The Wereling series is definitely for the older teen set with passages of gore that may be too intense for younger readers.   Contains: Gore, violence.

The Wereling: Wounded by Stephen Cole

During a family camping trip, sixteen year old Tom Anderson goes off for a walk only to be chased by a bear and fall in to a river.  When Tom comes to he finds that he was rescued by the Folan family.   The Folans make excuses as to why Tom can't leave their house or contact his family. Finally, Kate Folan, who is Tom's age, warns him that he is being turned into a werewolf and needs to escape.  The Folans are a family of werewolves, and Kate's mother, Marcie, has  chosen Tom to be Kate's mate.  Tom and Kate flee the Folan household and are pursued by Kate's mother, who has alerted other werewolves across the country to hunt Tom and Kate.  Cole's story has a good consistent pacing and the Tom and Kate characters work well together. The Wereling does have a more hard horror edge and has more violence than Wolf Pack or Lone Wolf. There are two other books in the series ; The Wereling: Prey and The Wereling: Resurrection. Recommended for a highschool horror collection and a potential recommendation for those who liked Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause. Contains: violence.

Lone Wolf by Edo Van Belkom

Lone Wolf is the sequel to Wolf Pack, This book follows four teenaged werewolves who try to adjust to life at Redstone High School.   The teens are all facing regular teen trauma. Harlan, the smallest of the Brock children, is being picked on by a school bully, Tora is facing off with a rival for a part in the school play, and Argusis trying to figure out his place in the family.  While all of these events are going on the family has to come together to face the threat that logging company Conservco poses to the forest outside of Redstone.   The challenges facing the Brock children are a bit more mundane--  issues such as bullying, competing at school events, and questioning one's place in their family.  Lone Wolf was written with just the right amount of humor and action.  It doesn't have the scares or horror factor of other werewolf books but teen readers will find the story compelling, and the story could be used for purposes of character education.  Contains: intimidation by werewolves, bullying, teen kissing.

During a forest fire, forest ranger Garrett Brock rescues four wolf cubs only to discover that they are no ordinary wolves- they are werwolves.  The werewolves, brothers Noble, Argus, and Harlan, and their sister, Tora are raised by Garrett and his wife Phyllis.   Several years later,  a glory-hungry geneticist, Dr. Edward Monk, witnesses and videotapes the werewolves, now teens, changing.   Monk then captures Tora in order to conduct experiments on her ,and it is up to the brothers to rescue her.   Wolf Pack is short fun werewolf story of only 184 pages, appropriate for  younger teens. and a great book to recommend to reluctant readers.  The plot moves quickly and will keep the reader's focus.  Wolf Pack is a winner of the Aurora Award, Canada's highest award for achievements in the fields of science fiction and fantasy.  Recommended for y/a and school library collections.  Contains: some intimidation and indications of torment. 

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
Laurel Leaf , September, 1999
ISBN: 0440226686
Available : New and Used

Blood and Chocolate has become one of the core titles of any teen horror collection. The story follows Vivian, a teenage werewolf who has had to relocate to a Maryland suburb with her pack after an altercation where the actions of a few wild wolves brought the wrath of the human population upon them which resulted in the death of Vivian’s father who was the leader of the pack. Vivian, feeling increasingly distanced from those in the pack in her age range, starts to look outside of her community for friendship and romance. She finds it in Aiden, whose curiosity and openness to the supernatural world makes her think that he might accept her for what she is. This is a well-written book that deserves the popularity that it has earned. Klause has developed Vivian into a strong female character who becomes caught between two worlds that of werewolves and humanity. The pacing is fast  and the action stays constant enough that you stay engaged with the story. Recommended. Contains: violence, teen romance.
 

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