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Review: The Wolves of Greycoat Hall by Lucinda Gifford

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The Wolves of Greycoat Hall by Lucinda Gifford

The Wolves of Greycoat Hall (The Wolves of Greycoat Hall #1)
Lucinda Gifford
Kane Miller Publishing
Published September 1, 2020

Kane Miller Website | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Wolves of Greycoat Hall

A family of wolves leaves their mansion in Moravia, returns to their Scottish homeland and fights for their right to live among society and save the castle that has been in their family for generations from a crooked developer.

Boris Greycoat is a friendly young wolf who likes meeting people and trying new foods. His father Randall Greycoat is becoming an expert in speaking French and playing table tennis. Boris’s mother, Leonora Greycoat, likes to practise her warm, reassuring smiles. Wolves need to look reassuring if they are to flourish in society.

Excited to hear the news that wolves are to be reintroduced to Scotland, Boris Greycoat and his parents, Randall and Leonora Greycoat embark on a journey back to their ancestral lands. However, it’s more difficult for wolves to travel than one might think, and it seems that Scotland may not be prepared for sophisticated wolves like the Greycoats. A deliciously funny tale, with equally amusing illustrations, about being judged for what, rather than who you are.

My Review

What a cute book! I’ve seen a couple other reviews of this series, and thought it sounded like fun. I have a young, voracious reader who will shortly be looking for middle grade books with a lot of illustrations, and I think this series might be perfect for her.

Every few pages or so, black-and-white drawing shows the characters or significant objects in the scene, which breaks up the text nicely. The whole book is about 220 pages, so it’s longer than a chapter book, but the frequent illustrations and short chapters make this a good choice for readers transitioning from chapter books to middle grade novels.

Boris and his family are kind, well-mannered wolves preparing for a vacation in Scotland. They face some prejudice from fellow passengers on a train and in a restaurant who clearly do not expect a family of wolves to be riding or dining with them. As Boris and his family explore Scotland, they decide to buy a castle, which becomes a whole adventure in itself. There are a couple of moments where tension builds, but for the most part, this is a sweet, cozy family vacation story.

I got a kick out of the different ways each family member approaches their interactions with people and their vacation adventure. This is one I know I’ll be reading again with my daughter and recommending to other readers her age.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12. It would work as a read-aloud with a younger child, maybe 6-8, as well.

Representation
Main characters are wolves who experience some prejudice when they go certain places humans aren’t expecting to see well-mannered wolves. The human characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
In one scene, a character trips and worries he might fall from a balcony.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Ruptured by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz

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Ruptured
Joanne Rossmassler Fritz
Holiday House
Published November 14, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Ruptured

The sensitive, suspenseful story of a family coping with a life-changing tragedy, told in stunning verse.

Is it wrong to grieve for someone who is still alive?

Claire’s mom and dad don’t talk to each other much anymore. And they definitely don’t laugh or dance the way they used to. Their tense, stilted stand offs leave thirteen-year-old Claire, an only child, caught in the middle. So when the family takes their annual summer vacation, Claire sticks her nose in a book and hopes for the best. Maybe the sunshine and ocean breeze will fix what’s gone wrong.

But while the family is away, Claire’s mother has a ruptured brain aneurysm–right after she reveals a huge secret to Claire. Though she survives the rupture, it seems like she is an entirely different person. Claire has no idea if her mom meant what she said, or if she even remembers saying it. With the weight of her mom’s confession on her shoulders, Claire must navigate fear, grief, and prospects for recovery.

Will her mom ever be the same? Will her parents stay together? And if the answer to either question is yes, how will Claire learn to live with what she knows? This beautifully written novel speaks to kids’ fears and credits their strength, and stems from the author’s incredible experience surviving two ruptured aneurysms.

My Review

I devoured this entire novel in one sitting. Claire’s frustration with her parents, the pressure she feels at her mother’s secret, it all felt so real and raw. Then, after her mother had the brain aneurysm rupture, Claire’s fear and grief were palpable. I’ve never been through something like what she went through with a parent, but the author brought me with her through that experience.

Another thing that I really liked was the way that Claire built a community of support for herself and her family. It isn’t something she does intentionally, but she does make choices that help her to create those connections. From making friends with a boy at the hospital to joining a support group and attending counseling at school to leaning into her relationship with her aunt, Claire finds ways to connect with others.

I love that there are books about these experiences not only for kids who will go through them or have been through them, but also for kids who haven’t. Reading about a child whose parent has a brain aneurysm rupture and recovers can help someone respond with more compassion and understanding if someone they know has a loved one going through this.

I think this is actually the second book about a brain aneurysm rupture that I’ve ever read. In Cammie McGovern’s JUST MY LUCK, which is also wonderful, I think the dad has a rupture and a long recovery that impacts the family.

I loved Rossmassler Fritz’s debut novel in verse, and this one must be shelved right beside it. What an emotional journey! Whew. And bravo to a fabulous writer for finding the courage to share such a personal story.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Claire’s family is white. She befriends a Black boy whose mom has also had a brain aneurysm rupture. Claire’s best friend is Latine.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
People mention praying for Claire’s mom and her family.

Violent Content
Claire’s mom collapses after experiencing terrible head pain. Claire calls 911 and waits at a hospital to hear whether her mom will survive.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything but help support this blog. I received a free copy of RUPTURED in exchange for my honest review.