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A review by remkosiak
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
5.0
Here’s another Anderson’s Mock Newbery title that I think is very deserving of its place.
This story takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania, during World War II – but it’s really not a World War II story. It’s a story about a bully who moves to town, and how her meanness toward everyone changes everything.
When Betty Glengarry comes to town, her meanness is immediate. Annabelle (our main character) tries to steer clear of her as much as possible – but as you might know – sometimes a bully latches on to a person, and won’t let go. And Betty has latched on to Annabelle. Betty has also latched on to Toby.
Toby is an interesting character. He’s a strange man – doesn’t speak much, doesn’t have a home, wanders in the woods, wears a big dark coat and three rifles across his back. No one really knows anything about him except that he was a soldier in World War I and that he likes to be left alone. He sometimes uses an old smokehouse to sleep. Annabelle and her family reach out to Toby as much as possible – where the others in the town see a strange man, Annabelle and her family see a kind man who needs help (sometimes) but doesn’t like accepting it (though he does love hickory nut pie).
Despite Betty’s constant meanness, Annabelle tries to avoid her as much as possible. But when a sharp rock, thrown by someone (Annabelle KNOWS it was Betty, everyone else suspects Toby), blinds Annabelle’s best friend Ruth – things begin to change more than Annabelle could have expected. Not only does everyone think Toby threw the rock – shortly afterward, Betty disappears. It’s only a matter of a few days of her disappearance before people begin to suspect that Toby kidnapped – and possibly killed her.
Annabelle knows different. She knows Toby. She trusts Toby. But finding the courage to do what’s right is difficult when everyone around you believes what’s wrong.
This story takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania, during World War II – but it’s really not a World War II story. It’s a story about a bully who moves to town, and how her meanness toward everyone changes everything.
When Betty Glengarry comes to town, her meanness is immediate. Annabelle (our main character) tries to steer clear of her as much as possible – but as you might know – sometimes a bully latches on to a person, and won’t let go. And Betty has latched on to Annabelle. Betty has also latched on to Toby.
Toby is an interesting character. He’s a strange man – doesn’t speak much, doesn’t have a home, wanders in the woods, wears a big dark coat and three rifles across his back. No one really knows anything about him except that he was a soldier in World War I and that he likes to be left alone. He sometimes uses an old smokehouse to sleep. Annabelle and her family reach out to Toby as much as possible – where the others in the town see a strange man, Annabelle and her family see a kind man who needs help (sometimes) but doesn’t like accepting it (though he does love hickory nut pie).
Despite Betty’s constant meanness, Annabelle tries to avoid her as much as possible. But when a sharp rock, thrown by someone (Annabelle KNOWS it was Betty, everyone else suspects Toby), blinds Annabelle’s best friend Ruth – things begin to change more than Annabelle could have expected. Not only does everyone think Toby threw the rock – shortly afterward, Betty disappears. It’s only a matter of a few days of her disappearance before people begin to suspect that Toby kidnapped – and possibly killed her.
Annabelle knows different. She knows Toby. She trusts Toby. But finding the courage to do what’s right is difficult when everyone around you believes what’s wrong.