The Wolves Are Watching - by Natalie Lund (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The night little Madison disappears from her crib, Luce sees a pair of eyes--two points of gold deep in the forest behind her house--and feels certain they belong to a wolf. Her town, Picnic, Illinois, is the kind of place where everyone knows one another and no one locks their doors. It's not the kind of place where a toddler goes missing without a trace, where wolves lurk in the shadows. In town, people are quick to blame Madison's mom. But when Luce's English teacher shares an original script about the disappearance of another little girl in Picnic back in 1870, Luce begins to notice similarities that she can't ignore. Certain that something deeper is going on, Luce tracks the wolf she saw into the woods and uncovers the truth about her town: magical animal-women, who have remained hidden in shadows for centuries, have taken her cousin for their own purposes--and they have no intention of bringing her back. A chilling mystery that weaves elements of magical realism, drama, and folklore into a story of one teen's bravery as she confronts her town's past and tries to save the future"--Jacket flap.

Book Synopsis

A fresh, compelling, and eerie exploration of small-town living, stolen children, and wolves that watch in the woods.

The night little Madison disappears from her crib, Luce sees a pair of eyes--two points of gold deep in the forest behind her house--and feels certain they belong to a wolf. Her town, Picnic, Illinois, is the kind of place where everyone knows one another and no one locks their doors. It's not the kind of place where a toddler goes missing without a trace, where wolves lurk in the shadows.

In town, people are quick to blame Madison's mom. But when Luce's English teacher shares an original script about the disappearance of another little girl in Picnic back in 1870, Luce begins to notice similarities that she can't ignore. Certain that something deeper is going on, Luce tracks the wolf she saw into the woods and uncovers the truth about her town: magical animal-women, who have remained hidden in shadows for centuries, have taken her cousin for their own purposes--and they have no intention of bringing her back.

A chilling mystery that weaves elements of magical realism, drama, and folklore into a story of one teen's bravery as she confronts her town's past and tries to save the future.

Review Quotes

Praise for The Wolves Are Watching

"[T]his gripping and suspenseful story will keep teens engaged and eager to keep on reading. Share this with all your fantasy readers." -School Library Journal

"...an affecting tale about small-town secrets, wronged people, and the bravery of two girls bent on getting to the truth in order to save lives." -Kirkus

"Serving up dark, small-town history and ancient folkloric creatures, Lund capably blends past, present, and future in this ethereal tale." -Publisher's Weekly

About the Author

Natalie Lund is a former middle and high school teacher. A graduate of Purdue Unviersity's MFA program, she taught introductory composition and creative writing there, and also served as the fiction editor of the Sycamore Review. Natalie is also the author of We Speak in Storms and The Sky Above Us. She lives in Chicago with her family and a very talkative cat. You can visit Natalie online at natalielund.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @nmlund.