Wolven

by Di Toft

Overview

The exciting adventures of a boy and his pet...werewolf! When his big, hairy hound turns into a boy, Nat discovers he's caught up in a weird government conspiracy to train wolven as weapons!With his big snaggly teeth, patchy black fur, and glowing golden eyes, Woody is far from the cutest of dogs, yet Nat is strangely drawn to the rough mutt that howls at the moon. And before long Nat discovers that Woody's not a dog at all--he's a wolven: a shape-shifter who changes from wolf to boy without much warning. A secret government agency knows about Woody's mutant status, too, and wants to trap him and turn him into a hairy new breed of bioweapon. To escape capture, and to make sense of Woody's strange identity, the two friends--boy and werewolf--set off on a great adventure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545362313
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/01/2011
Series:	Wolven
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
Lexile:	860L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

DI TOFT lives in Portishead, England, with her husband, their children, and their dog, Dave, who is so ginormous that he can be located by Google Maps. Her debut novel, WOLVEN, is the first book in a planned trilogy about Nat and Woody's hairy adventures!

Editorial Reviews

Toft debuts with a slight, fast-paced novel that introduces the titular Wolven, a race of wolflike creatures who can shift to become humans. When Nat (a lonely 12-year-old whose father is on the run from the law) adopts a scraggly creature he names Woody, he is surprised to learn about his new friend's powers, which include mild telepathy and the ability to transform into a teenage boy. He's even more surprised to discover the secret government conspiracy involving Wolven, true werewolves, and others, as well as the historical connection between the Wolven and the Knights Templar. Throw in Nat's often silly family members, a gorgeous (and not quite human) singer, a mysterious and knowledgeable witch, and a local bully, and there's a lot of action--much of it goofy--for thrill-seeking readers. Not every joke hits its mark (and an offhand joke connecting voodoo and headshrinking is just ignorant), but for the most part, Toft supplies fun action sequences, over-the-top villains (vicious werewolf Lucas Scale sings "Born to Be Wild" after a successful kidnapping), and some intriguing magic. Ages 8-12. (June)

Publishers Weekly

[[BURST]] Includes a sneak peek at THE TWILIGHT CIRCUS, Woody and Nat's next adventure!

*"Briskly folds magic and slapstick into a madcap scramble." — Kirkus, starred review

From the Publisher

Gr 5–8—Nat Carver, 12, lives on the edge of a mysterious forest where rumors of government "experiments" at Helleborine Halt are always town news. For protection as well as companionship, he asks his eccentric grandparents for a dog. Nat is unsure about Woody at first—the animal gazes at him with such intensity that Nat swears he is telepathic. The two form an unbreakable bond, becoming the best of friends. Then Nat's world is turned upside down when he sees Woody transform into a human boy. He discovers that he is a descendant of a noble werewolf clan whose heroic past dates back to medieval times. He is the last of his kind and needs Nat's help. The evil Dr. Gabriel Gruber, leader of the Proteus project, wants to use werewolves as military weapons and Woody is number one on his list. Toft spins an incredible tale full of action, mystery, and suspense. This hair-raising adventure with its fresh perspective on werewolf lore is perfect for audiences not ready for some of the edgier material out there. A satisfying read with a fly-off-the-shelves cover.—Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

School Library Journal

The hamlet of Temple Gurney seems ordinary enough-discounting the odd witch, spooky woods and old manor house with a supersecret laboratory. Oh yes, and the local werewolves, or "lycans," as they prefer to be called, since "werewolf" is so prejudicial. Also inaccurate, as young Nat discovers when he's given Woody, a scruffy white dog who turns out to have the outrageously exciting ability to transform himself into a friendly (if naked and drooly) boy. Woody may be the last of the Wolven, a noble clan of shapeshifters driven to the verge of extinction by the Proteus Project, a series of vicious lab experiments designed to upgrade the regular brand of werew-, er, lycans into superwarriors. He's actually an escapee, and the rough bully that Nat and Woody instantly attract turns out to be little more than a distraction once they find themselves pursued by ominous black cars and large, hairy goons. Still, as Toft puts it, "when the astonishing happens, you just get on with it," and so she does, briskly folding magic and slapstick into a madcap scramble that leaves both the manor and the Proteus Project in ruins. Expect sequels. (Fantasy. 10-13)

Kirkus Reviews