Even though it is a new book, it had a quality that reminded me of the books I read and loved when I was a preteen. Recommended for nature and animal lovers. ( )

Very good story for young adults concerning children and learning to adjust to a new environment.

IB Attitudes: Appreciation, Empathy, Enthusiasm, Independence, Cooperation, Creativity, Curiosity, Integrity. IB Learner Profile:Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced, Reflective

An impressive debut novel that fans of animal and nature stories will love. ( )

For the typical adolescent, personal identity, uncertainty, and self-confidence tango in a seemingly ceaseless struggle for control over the individual. No stranger to this dance, Nika faces an even greater trial of circumstances: continual instability. Ever since she and her younger brother, Randall, were orphaned two years previous, loneliness and perpetual flux have become the new “normal” state of her life. One day, however, the course of her fate takes a huge leap—all the way from California to the lake-strewn wilderness of Minnesota. For Nika, the emergence of a long lost uncle does more than alter her surroundings. With the help of an enigmatic little wolf pup, this move transforms her at the very core, filling the deep void that threatens to engulf her soul. The 300+ pages of this insightful, thought-provoking young adult novel are broken into 24 chapters of moderately sized font and margins. With a blend of gripping conversational dialog and eloquently verbose descriptions of plot and setting, the author immerses imaginative readers into the vivid natural world that sets the backdrop for the development of intricate human-animal and human-human relationships. ( )