Summer Of The Wolves

Last week Mom had dragged me to Dr. Shrink’s office. We have a new family now and we all have to try to get along. Blah, blah, blah. The problem these days was Mom spent all her time trying to make Norm and Stephanie happy. Norm with his pocket calculator and stupid jokes. Stephanie with her rainbow toes and bouncy dark hair. Apparently Miss Congeniality at her school. Doesn’t have to take mood pills. I felt like that little chestnut pony – last in line.

Book: Summer of the Wolves (Sisters in All Seasons) by Lisa Williams Kline, Zonderkidz, 2012

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 13-18

Subjects: Blended Families, Sibling Relationships, Obedience, Wisdom

Summary: Yeah, there’s no doubt that this is going to be a miserable vacation. Spending time with this new blended family is not Diana’s idea of a good time! There is an advantage though. The location for this vacation is a ranch – with horses! Diana can’t wait to get on one and take off! The feeling of freedom that comes when she’s riding is like nothing else! The first trip doesn’t go so well. Oh, it’s fine for Diana, but not so fine for Stephanie who is afraid of the horses anyway. When Diana’s horse wants to cause trouble, she does nothing to prevent it. Soon she gets her chance to really ride though. When she explores she finds something she never expected to see, a cage with two wolves in it! It seems they are used to entertain guests at the lodge. The lodge pays money for the wolves to be brought out on display. Diana is horrified at the enslavement of these wild, strong animals. Surprisingly Stephanie agrees with Diana. Stephanie may be afraid of everything and way too much of a girly girl for Diana’s satisfaction but she has a sympathetic heart. That sympathy is generally focused more on people, but Diana convinces her to help rescue the wolves. The problem is that their idea of helping isn’t based on knowledge and sympathy is useless without it.

Notes:  This is the first in the Sisters In All Seasons series. The series is about two sisters who are part of a blended family. Both have parents who have divorced. Diana’s mother has married Stephanie’s father. Both of their other parents are still around and in the picture, although not as much. The sisters are extreme opposites in personality and interests. Diana’s focus is on animals – she finds people hard to deal with due to her lack of effort to “fit in” and her willingness to say exactly what she thinks at any time. Stephanie’s focus in on people – animals scare her. Stephanie’s weakness is trying so hard to get along with anyone that she doesn’t always say no to things she knows she should – whether it be to Diana or friends.

In this book the sisters are just beginning the process of trying to get to know each other and figure out how to get along. The big issue is making good choices. Diana chooses to do multiple things in direct disobedience to the adults. She chooses to do something she knows the adults consider wrong but thinks the adults are wrong and she is right. Then she learns that her choice actually caused something even worse to happen. There isn’t any spiritual emphasis in this book. There are some Biblical values emphasized but not identified as such. The characters are expected to be obedient to authority and kind to others.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 1/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Psalm 111:10 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

Deuteronomy 5:16 - Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I appreciate it!