Up and Coming Reads | A Wolf at the Gate by Mark Van Steenwyk

This book was listed in the Science Fiction & Fantasy section for Teen & Young Adult.  But it was the cover that caught my attention and the rest of the book is illustrated similarly.  It's a retelling of the story of St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio from the wolf's perspective. It's getting a lot of interest and is a Nominee for 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year, Juvenile Fiction.  A book to be enjoyed with a hot chocolate before bed.

Van Steenwyk retells the story of St. Francis of Assisi and the wolf of Gubbio in his first book for children. This time, the story is narrated from the point of view of the wolf with a red coat, 'born under the red glow of the Hunter’s Moon,' a clever shift that adds tension and new beauty to a familiar tale. When her pack is forced to leave their native forest because humans in nearby Stonebriar deplete the wolves’ food, she remains. Angry and starving, the red wolf begins to prey on humans and their livestock. Soon, Blood Wolf, as she is now called, meets the Beggar King, 'beloved by the common folk.' Under his tutelage, she transforms from angry, violent predator—feared by animals and humans alike—to kind friend to all, renamed Sister Wolf. As a result of her instruction from the Beggar King, Sister Wolf comes to understand that all life is worth preserving and that loving kindness is the greatest of all gifts. Influenced by Japanese woodblock prints, Hedstrom’s stark, solid, and lovely illustrations appear throughout. —Publishers Weekly

A Wolf at the Gate 

by Mark Van Steenwyk

This imaginative retelling of the legend of Saint Francis and the Wolf explores what it means to be a peacemaker in the midst of violence and how to restore a healthy relationship with creation. Settle in and read a tale of tooth and sword, of beggars and lords, of outlaws and wild beasts. It is a story of second chances and the power of love.

	Interested? Use the links below to grab yourself a copy A Wolf at the Gate  Wolf's Books may receive a commission.

You may also be interested in these items:

---

Liked what you read? Want to known when new posts are up?

To follow me on Twitter or Google+ click on the images below.

        

---