In the vein of To Kill a Mockingbird, Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk is the tale of a young girl in a small town exposed to events which change her life and the lives of her family forever.

Annabelle and her family befriend Toby, a reclusive World War I veteran living in the hills of Wolf Hollow. When Annabelle is bullied by a new girl in town, the unlikely friend comes to Annabelle’s defense. But when children get hurt and the new girl goes missing, all fingers point to Toby – who also disappears. The decisions Annabelle makes to clear Toby’s name don’t have the intended result. In the end Annabelle and her family discover more about Toby, the world, and themselves.

Wolf Hollow was an intriguing story which ended perhaps more realistically than I had hoped. Nevertheless, it would be a valuable tool at home and in a classroom for open discussion about lying, fear, assumptions, justice, and bullying.

Due to the nature of the events in the book, I recommend it for middle grade and older readers. I also suggest parents read the book along with their children. While you’re at it, read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee too!

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk is young adult fiction, just under 300 pages.

Wolk, Lauren. Wolf Hollow: a Novel. Puffin Books, 2018.Lee, Harper.

To Kill a Mockingbird. Lippincott, 1960.