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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
SC Award Winner. Took a while to build momentum. I was a little irritated with the protagonist’s personality, but the revelations at the end were surprising and satisfying enough to overcome that.
Well. This was an exceptionally heavy story, particularly for middle grade students of younger ages. That's not bad at all, though I think it might be a little tough for third or fourth graders until they're a little older - why force kids to grow up earlier than need be? It is an exceptionally well written story that will stay with me for a long, long while. More and more in my life I wonder why people enjoy being mean, why a bully becomes a bully, and how easy it is for some people to lie. Rural Pennsylvania in the after-World War II years is the perfect setting for this extraordinary story.
The characters in this novel are real & authentic. Love, love, love the character development. Annabelle's voice is strong & her kind and curious nature leads you into the heart of the story. I found the beginning of the book enthralling and I was unable to put the book down. However, as the story began to shift and move toward resolution I felt like the target audience was being missed. I am not sure middle grade readers will stick out the change of pace & tone.
I also felt like this story had some borderline YA moments. I particularly felt like Andy & Betty's running off into the woods could lead to some student questions as well as Annabelle's relationship with Toby. There are also a few intense scenes that I'm not sure all middle grade students can handle. For these reasons I'm giving Wolf Hollow 4 stars.
I also felt like this story had some borderline YA moments. I particularly felt like Andy & Betty's running off into the woods could lead to some student questions as well as Annabelle's relationship with Toby. There are also a few intense scenes that I'm not sure all middle grade students can handle. For these reasons I'm giving Wolf Hollow 4 stars.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book. Wow. I had heart palpitations the entire time I read it. I couldn't put it down.
Annabelle and her two younger brothers live a quiet, happy life on their farm in a small town in Pennsylvania with their parents, grandparents, and aunt. They are mostly untouched by World War II, raging far away from them. Even the man who wanders the hills and rarely speaks seems mostly harmless. But all that changes when Betty comes to stay with her grandparents. Betty is more than just a mean girl -- she is vicious and cruel and she is targeting Annabelle. Annabelle keeps the first attacks to herself. She doesn't want to involve anyone else and she truly can't believe that Betty will do anything worse. But things do get worse. And Betty is a liar as well as bully. Will anyone believe Annabelle when she has kept silent so long? And can she stop things from spiraling out of control before it is too late? Highly recommended for grades 5 & up.
ARC provided by publisher.
Annabelle and her two younger brothers live a quiet, happy life on their farm in a small town in Pennsylvania with their parents, grandparents, and aunt. They are mostly untouched by World War II, raging far away from them. Even the man who wanders the hills and rarely speaks seems mostly harmless. But all that changes when Betty comes to stay with her grandparents. Betty is more than just a mean girl -- she is vicious and cruel and she is targeting Annabelle. Annabelle keeps the first attacks to herself. She doesn't want to involve anyone else and she truly can't believe that Betty will do anything worse. But things do get worse. And Betty is a liar as well as bully. Will anyone believe Annabelle when she has kept silent so long? And can she stop things from spiraling out of control before it is too late? Highly recommended for grades 5 & up.
ARC provided by publisher.
I would say 3.5 stars. The story didn't grab my heart but at the same time I won't forget it.
There are some reviews I've seen comparing this to the Harper Lee classic. There are evident similarities: young girl with a keen sense of injustice, small-time town with local busybodies; reclusive male who gets accused of an awful crime...it's not hard to see why these comparisons are made.
However, this is much more a book for younger readers in which they get to explore social injustice, friendship and the hard task of learning to trust your judgment.
Annabelle is a rather solitary young girl. She takes a maternal interest in her younger brothers and enjoys school. When new girl, Betty, comes along she even harbours thoughts of them being friends. Betty, however, has different ideas.
Reading about the cruel and dangerous things Betty does are hard to take-a cruel reminder of just how unpleasant some people can be. Caught up within this awful stuff is Toby, a solitary war veteran who has befriended Annabelle. People are quick to point the finger at Toby when Betty goes missing. Annabelle remains loyal - even when it seems she could be wrong - and through her experiences we get to witness the true value of friendship.
A well-meaning book and a good stepping stone into more adult treatments of the same themes.
However, this is much more a book for younger readers in which they get to explore social injustice, friendship and the hard task of learning to trust your judgment.
Annabelle is a rather solitary young girl. She takes a maternal interest in her younger brothers and enjoys school. When new girl, Betty, comes along she even harbours thoughts of them being friends. Betty, however, has different ideas.
Reading about the cruel and dangerous things Betty does are hard to take-a cruel reminder of just how unpleasant some people can be. Caught up within this awful stuff is Toby, a solitary war veteran who has befriended Annabelle. People are quick to point the finger at Toby when Betty goes missing. Annabelle remains loyal - even when it seems she could be wrong - and through her experiences we get to witness the true value of friendship.
A well-meaning book and a good stepping stone into more adult treatments of the same themes.
Heart-wrenching
Wow. I have no words- the story of Annabelle and an unlikely friendship, soiled by a bully, has tugged my heartstrings. This is an important read for young adults.
Wow. I have no words- the story of Annabelle and an unlikely friendship, soiled by a bully, has tugged my heartstrings. This is an important read for young adults.
A beautifully and cleverly written novel for middle grade.... It's been a while since I've been so consumed by a book.
What a beautifully written book, evoking feelings of To Kill a Mockingbird. Annabelle lives a happy, quiet life in rural Pennsylvania during WWII. Betty moves to town and starts to bully her and the other kids in town, along with Toby, the town recluse. When her friend is hurt, Betty blames Toby, and Annabelle tries to clear his name. But when Betty goes missing, and the police start searching for Toby, Annabelle finds him and hides him until she can figure out how to prove he is innocent. It's a story of good vs evil and doing what is right in the face of the whole town's opposition.