In Carlson-Voiles's suspenseful and realistic debut novel, two orphaned children survive thanks to the care of their uncle, the beauty of Minnesota's wilderness and their love for the wolves who live there.
Carlson-Voiles tells this story from the point of view of two orphans: 12-year-old Nika and an unnamed female wolf, adding gravitas to what could have been a predictable story. When Nika and her younger brother, Randall, leave Pasadena, Calif., for rural Minnesota to live with their Uncle Ian, a wildlife biologist, Randall adjusts quickly to his new living arrangements. But Nika, a true city kid, is slower to accept the change. Helping raise an abandoned wolf cub, making a friend and caring for an escaped female wolf, open up Nika to the possibilities of her new situation. Nika's ignorance of the wilderness, her conflicts with her Uncle Ian and her confusion about another life change boost the tension, while suspense about the female wolf's fate propels the narrative. A nail-biting climax and an unexpected conclusion nicely tie up the story. This will especially appeal to fans of Julie of the Wolves, of Clay Carmichael's Wild Things and of Gary Paulsen's books. --Ellen Loughran