Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A familiar read. I felt like I was hearing a hint of Scout’s voice in the narration and that Toby, a WWI vet, was a cross between Boo Radley and Tom. Annabelle ‘ s dad had gumption and integrity like Atticus. This story was set in the 1940s, though, unlike To Kill a Mockingbird. For middle school readers who love pastoral scenes, it’s a story about a bully who goes too far, about living with trauma, about shame, about judging/misjudging others, about lies and truth, about family. This is not really a WW2 novel, so don’t look for dates, maps, events — though the time period is important to the narrative. There’s nothing wrong with familiar narratives. Annabelle ‘s voice kept me turning the pages as we, together, made sense of the “things from which refuge was impossible.”