*I can still remember reading Wolf Hollow to a group of fourth graders and the response from the listeners was positive, powerful, and deep. We had the opportunity to talk with Lauren about the story. Now that was a Skype visit to remember. I was excited to learn about a new release from author Lauren Wolk. After seeing positive review after positive review, I knew it was time to get reading. I decided to download the title via my Audible app. The middle-grade story was my first audio experience of summer 2020.
What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
1. *Lauren Wolk takes the reader back in time to the Great Depression era. What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
2. *Ellie's family has been hit hard just like most of the townspeople and neighbors. They leave their home in town and begin fresh up in the heights of Echo Mountain.
3. *It is here that Ellie begins to find a series of carved wooden figures. They seem to be placed intentionally for her to find. She begins a search to find the carver.
4. *The family is devastated when Ellie's father is injured in an accident that involved Ellie, her older sister, and their younger brother.
5. *During an exploration of Echo Mountain, Ellie meets the mountain's "hag" and from that moment on, her life changes in more ways than she could have ever imagined.
What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1. *Lauren Wolk certainly has a way immersing the reader back in time and experiencing life as it was during that time period.
2. *The characters, plot, and setting were all top-notch and pitch perfect.
3. *As I listened to the story, I was struck by the beautiful relationships that Ellie had both with people that had been in her life for years and also with an incredible few characters that came into her life while living up in the mountains.
4. *The connections between characters were revealed with such grace, sensitivity, and perfect timing.
5. *Within the pages of the story, many life lessons were presented and explored; family, secrets, honesty, strength, and standing on one's two feet.
Who Should Read It:
*The novel would be awesome to put in the individual hands of young readers and/or use it as a class read aloud. I would say readers in grades four through six would be best. Of course the book should also be in all middle-school libraries and classrooms. As an adult, if you have read other works by Lauren, then you MUST put this new title on your TBR list. Happy Reading!
Rating: 5 STARS out of 5 Stars
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