Wolfstongue

Wolfstongue #1

by Sam Thompson

Wolfstongue tells the story of a boy with speech problems who enters a hidden world of talking animals. When he befriends a family of wolves who have been enslaved by scheming, articulate foxes, the boy must face his own struggle with words to help the wolves win back their freedom.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Wolves, Animals, Childrens, Adventure, Juvenile

MP3 CD

First published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Nazlıcan Kabataş · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bir çeviri daha bitti. <3 O kadar masalsı güzellikteydi ki. Devamı geleceği için ayrı mutlu oldum. Konuşma zorluğu yaşayan ve kurtlarla beraber büyük mücadeleler veren Silas'ın maceralarını Türkçeye çevirmek güzel bir yolculuktu. Hemencecik basılır inş. *-*

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sympathique, même si pas un coup de coeur. L'histoire fonctionne parfaitement et rempli - je pense - toutes les attentes que peuvent avoir les jeunes lecteurs.ices. Dès 9/10 ans.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up because of the comparisons to Watership Down but it actually reminded more of another of my favorites, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. It's thematically pretty complex, with a lot to say about the power of language, and stories, and words - and y'all know I love that stuff. It's also got some absolutely lovely art scattered throughout the book.

I did find that despite that rich thematic complexity, the book rushes through the climax far too quickly, and the ending just kinda happens. It doesn't feel super resolved*, but it does still stand on its own. A lot of things happen in the last third that felt far too quick and easy and I would have liked a bit more time spent exploring getting to those resolutions.



* The end of the book teases a sequel, set 30 years later, due out next year. It's an interesting premise and I enjoyed the world enough that I'll keep my eye out for it.

[Áine Ní Néill · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really enjoyed this, but i do think we need to discuss disability in fiction

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Très belle histoire sur le pouvoir des mots

[Shelbi Pate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written with lyrical language and intricate black and white illustrations. A rescue-mission middle grade adventure perfect for reluctant and enriched readers alike, and here’s why.
Wolfstongue is a beautiful, earthy fable that draws upon folklore and storytelling. Readers follow Silas, a young boy who struggles to speak, not even trying anymore as he struggles to cope with his classmates’ taunts and bullying.
It’s when Silas is feeling most lost and is at his loneliest, that his world changes. He is drawn into the ancient battle between the last wolves and their fox rulers. Through the use of human language, the foxes were able to enslave the wolves, giving labels and, thus power, to feelings and thoughts, consequently stripping the wolves of their Wild.
And it’s Silas who has the voice the wolves desperately need to finally be set free.
The tale of the wolfstongue is one which explores the power of words and language and I love the underlying message; humanity has lost its Wild and its connection with nature, despite the natural world being all around us. Yet, if we choose to see it, maybe we can find it again.

[By Book and Bone (Sally) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I wanted to like Wolfstongue a lot more than I did. I listened to the audiobook which may have made a difference. The narrator had a lovely voice and did a great job at the voices but I think the direction might have been a bit lackluster because of how inanimate their voice was for much of the the story. The climax had the same tonal feeling as any other part of the book, even though it was meant to be very much life and death.

The story didn't really do it for me either. I think quite a lot could have been edited out and left a snappy but great read. Silas walks through the forest a lot with the wolves. They often seem to have no destination in mind, which isn't always a bad think in a book but this isn't a Wind in the Willows -- low stakes story.

I did like Silas as a character and appreciate the inclusion of a character with speech problems but something seemed off about the depiction. I felt deflated reading Wolfstongue. I wouldn't recommend it to my friends/family members with speech issues/disabilities.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book.
Silas has speech problems and no confidence.
One day he meets a friendly wolf and together they must rescue the cubs from the foxes.
Dials reliase that he has friends and his family love him, he also finds his voice.
Amazing beautiful pictures. One of my favourite books of 2021

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

with a few exceptions, animal fantasy just really isn't my thing....

[Tarsila Krüse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silas is a boy who has a hard time speaking. Words don’t come to him as easily but when he meets a Wolf on the run from foxes, his life takes an incredible turn.

Wolfstongue is about the meaning and weight of words and how language, created by humans, is a set of rules that guide and manage our understanding of the world. Bring a speaker of some languages, I think Wolfestongue does a beautiful job in explaining that the way things work have their own language and meaning. And we don’t what’s have to understand a language to know that it is real.

I really enjoyed this book, although some parts left me completely desperate and filled with anguish for some of the characters that I grew fond of. This is not a fairy tale but a story of understanding and speaking at the most fundamental level - compassion.

Recommended for ages 9+

[Majandra Fortoul-Lacomme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnifique conte qui nous rappelle que nous, humains, ne pouvons pas juger les autres espèces d'après le prisme de notre propre existence. Les loups sont des loups et nous ne devrions pas leurs demander de respecter des règles que seul les humains sont à même de comprendre. Merci à l'auteur pour ça. Nous oublions bien trop souvent que les mots on bien plus de pouvoir sur nous qu'ils ne devraient.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
A large part of the story deals with how people handle the expectations of others. Silas is bullied at school due to his difficulties speaking and he fulfills his role as a victim. He recognizes his speech problems and accepts the abuse he receives. The wolves in the story are slaves to the foxes even though they’re much larger and stronger. The foxes have given them names that enable the foxes to control the wolves. The characters must eventually remember who they really are.
The author effectively makes the foxes, especially Reynard, convincing antagonists. These animals are typically considered sneaky and cunning so the author’s description of these characters builds on those expectations. Early conversations with Silas make the foxes seem kind and sincere but they immediately reveal their true intentions. Reynard is the worst as he’s the leader of the foxes and a master at manipulating words. Silas’s trouble speaking makes it easy for Reynard to twist his words and control his thinking. All of the animals hate Reynard and there is some unrest within the fox community.
I enjoy the levity created by the banter between a tabby cat and a raven as it balances the seriousness of the plot. An ongoing exchange is how the cat’s going to eat the bird eventually so he won’t let anyone else hurt it. The tabby’s “attacks” always result in the bird flying away with laughing caws. The tabby is extremely arrogant and makes it sound like he’s doing everyone else a favor when he helps. However, he’s an invaluable ally and always bravely comes through when needed.
What didn’t work as well:
Silas is “a little surprised” by talking wolves and foxes so the transition to a fantasy realm is less “believable”, for lack of a better word. He readily accepts it since a talking fox is standing in front of him but it usually takes a little time for characters to adjust to these kinds of unusual experiences. The book skips this transition period and jumps right into the story.
The Final Verdict:
Always remember who you are. The relationship between the wolves and foxes is uncommon and the role of humans in character dynamics is creative. The message regarding human culture is a valuable lesson and I recommend you give this book a shot.

[karla_bookishlife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Language. It can be powerful. It can be used by us; it can be used against us. It can uplift us or bring us down. In this beautifully articulated fable about a human boy, a wolf and a fox, language is a central theme. For the boy, Silas, language is problematic as he struggles to form words. He is bullied relentlessly at school for his inability to articulate words and sentences easily.
For Isengrim, the wolf, Language represents the downfall of wolves. They were happy in their silent strength until the foxes came and presented them words. Then they became fearful and weak. The foxes were wily and used language to gain power over the wolves.
Silas understands the silence of the wolves, the need to retreat into silence for survival. The wolves seek to return to this silence, to be as they once were - free from words; strong and fearless. They need the voice of one who understands this and can be their voice: the Wolfstongue. Can Silas find his voice and strength to become the Wolfstongue? This is a powerful and beautiful story and is accentuated with the most stunning illustrations by Anna Tromop. It is an absolutely exquisite book to read. I love how takes the classic stories of Reynard the fox and Isengrim the wolf and switches them up into a completely new narrative . A narrative, in which the natural world,where wolves run and foxes hold dominion, is but a thin veil away from the human cities. At the heart of everything, there is clay; deep in the ground. The clay that has been moulded to form every creature. There is magic in the clay. This book reveals only a little of its capabilities. Who knows what other wonders it can perform? I cannot wait to read more in the upcoming sequel: The Fox's Tower.
An absolutely brilliant story that promises to become a modern classic for children. #Wolfstongue #samthompson #littleislandbooks #childrensbooks #modernclassic #reynardthefox #isengrimthewolf #fables #fablesreimagined #irishchildrensbooks

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admire a book that tries to treat speech disabilities in a serious way, especially one that manages to do so in the context of a fantasy. It's a great fit; since the days of A Wizard of Earthsea there's been a strand of fantasy in which words have power. The fox-antagonists are masters of words, and the climax of the book is Silas finding some words, at least when it counts. (A strong point of the book is that there are no easy, magical solutions to Silas's problems.)

But the strength of the dialog is matched by weakness in the descriptive passages. They are flowery and repetitive in ways that do not help the story -- like an author that isn't confident enough in their descriptive skills to get away with showing less. The characters and their relationships are drawn simplistically. One particularly clear example: in the origin story driving the novel's action, the wolves submit to be slaves to the foxes because the foxes promise them relief from their problems, primary among that relief being that the wolves wouldn't have to make decisions anymore but instead would always be told what to do. This is not going to resonate with any child known to mankind. A more compelling story explaining how the foxes and wolves got to the relationship they got to -- that treated their power relationship as complex and multifaceted -- would, I think, have made the story more compelling. And while I can't speak for middle-graders, I think it would have been more believable to them as well.

[Hannah Fazakerley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silas finds it hard to get his words out and is having a tough time at school as a result. On day, on his way home, on an ordinary street in his hometown he finds an injured wolf, who he helps. Unfortunately, this leads him to a not so friendly encounter with a fox and quickly Silas is tumbled into a secret world where he must fight, and speak, for the wolves.
This debut children’s novel really took me back to the reading days of my own childhood, evoking long forgotten emotions for me. I certainly believed that doors to other worlds lay close by, if only we knew how to find them as the children did when they entered Narnia.
“One moment the twilight Forest had seemed endless around him, but the next they had pushed through a clump of bushes and were standing on a quiet street…”
I loved the size, heft and feel of the book, with its cover flaps, exciting illustrations and map of the City of Earth. The illustrations by Anna Tromop really suited the story and added to it. I really enjoyed this book; it was like jumping in at the deep end with both feet. The characters are well realized (for example the interactions between the sarcastic and over confident cat Tybalt and the quick-witted raven Corax). The story speaks of the relationship between humans and animals, the fox characters mimicking human behaviour and values, with the noble wolves in contrast, fighting for their freedom. I very much liked the ending, leaving us to think for ourselves about what we have read and perhaps reminding us that what we think are endings are perhaps just new beginnings in disguise.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This feels more like Narnia than anything apart from actual Narnia. There's a part set in attics, and the idea of the forest feels very Narnian.

I was very impressed to learn, as I researched for this review, that many of the characters are from medieval literature! I was also very pleased to note that this book doesn't use all the characters from the medieval stories, which gives me hope for sequels. I'd absolutely love to read more of these. Sam is fantastic.

It's such a clever idea, too, controlling someone through words. I was thinking about it yesterday, and about Terry Pratchett's writing, and it occurred to me that the difference between 'old woman' and 'witch' is often only in the words someone uses about them. I adored it. And the sequence where one character is about to attack another, who defeats him simply by telling him how silly and weak and useless he is...it's amazing.

My proof copy has what are described as 'rough' illustrations and all I can say is, if these are the rough ones, I can't wait for the finished product. It's going to be AMAZING.

I completely adored this read, it's one I'll come back to again and again, and I really hope there's more coming at some point. Just wonderful.

[Rebecca R · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the way home from school one day, Silas meets a wolf. He is terrified at first, but after he removes a pin from the wolf's paw, they come to an understanding and Isengrim the wolf saves Silas in return from a pack of foxes.

Silas discovers that Isengrim and his mate Hersent, have escaped enslavement by the foxes and they are the last wolves left in the forest. When Hersent gives birth to cubs it gives them hope for the future, but then Reynard the fox kidnaps them. Silas isn't good at standing up for himself or speaking out, but he must be the wolves' voice - he must be their Wolfstongue - to help them to break into the fox's underground Citadel and rescue the cubs.

Silas's forest is a magical place, full of talking creatures, that exists in parallel to the his urban, human world. Talking animal stories are not particularly fashionable in publishing these days, which is a shame, as children do love animal stories. (At the school I work at there is a small cult devoted to Warrior Cats.) 'Wolfstongue' is a classic animal adventure with elements of satire - 'The Animals of Farthing Wood' meets 'Animal Farm'.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fable retelling involving majestic wolves and cunning fixes bring only the best adventures. The protagonist also struggles getting his words out, and he serves as a great role model for kids who struggle with the same. The story starts right in on the action, and I love that the world the story takes place in us both magical but has always been apart of our human world. The protagonist, Silas, helps a wolf and is subsequently drawn into the wolves struggles versus the foxes who want to control them. Along the way other sassy woodland friends join the adventure to bring down the tyrant foxes. As a bonus, real wolf behaviors are on display. This book does contain animal violence and bullying so proceed with care of those things don’t appeal. I can’t wait for the sequel! There was never a dull moment in this book and time flew as I read it. If you like a book you can debit in a fun afternoon, this is it. It’s a unique take on the lives of wolves and foxes that I’ve not been exposed to before, and the protagonist goes on a journey where he finds his strength and who he is; kids need these kinds of triumphs to read.

[Darryl Sloan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is absolutely beautiful to behold. Gorgeous external and internal artwork, lovely paper quality. And the story itself starts out strong. But about halfway through, things got disappointing for me - specifically at the point where the author decided to get philosophical about the nature of language. This material didn't ring true at all and bordered on pretentious. Unhfortunately, these philosophical views were integral to the story.

Then there were a couple of character deaths, which is fine. What isn't fine is how poorly the deaths were handled. They were written and moved past so abruptly that I had to wonder whether the characters were dead at all, especially since the protagonist, Silas, had absolutely no emotional reaction to the events, and seemed to never think of these characters again.

On a positive note, I liked the casting of Silas, the young protagonist, as a boy with speech problems, who is bullied at school. The author chooses not to solve this problem using some fantasy trope, but acknowledges that there are no easy solutions to something like this.

[Jacob Schmitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foxes are the ultimate tricksters in this story. In an elaborate underground kingdom designed by foxes and built by wolves, and other unfortunate creatures, foxes imitate the materialism and ambivalence towards the natural world. Silas, a boy who is bullied at school for his reticence, is ironically prophesied to be the "Wolfstongue," the messiah who will use the power of words to save the wolves from being enslaved to the foxes.

Sam Thompson does a beautiful job engendering reflection and critique of modernity, without children having any notion of the concept. The foxes provide ample insight into the role of materialism and control over nature, while cultivating compassion for the wolves and other creatures who truly have lost their voice. The illustrations of Anna Tromop add to the tone of lore, mystery, and suspense.

[Helen Kingsley Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Year 6 Book Club 2022/23 book #1
This book was the winner of the Spark! Schools books awards in the fiction 9+ category this year and it’s is easy to see why.
A very fast paced plot with exquisite descriptive writing and absolute cliffhanger endings that makes you want to read on & on. It’s quite a short novel with a lot packed into it and beautifully illustrated which means my more reluctant and / or slower readers really engaged with it as well as the more able readers in my group.
Based on characters from old fables, this definitely has a fairy tale feel and I love the descriptions of the routes into the forest. I could really see this made into a children’s tv series or tv film.
I’m looking forward to the sequel.

[Rey Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is a hidden gem. i found it next to a book of celtic tales and it caught my eye, and i was delighted to see that it was based in irish mythology. for a children's book, it has a lot of depth and things to think through, which can make it a good read for older people as well!

silas, as a main character, was a little flat for me, but i'm sure the sequel will be able to remedy that (there's going to be a sequel!!!!! i am thrilled!!!!) the writing style is immense and all-encompassing, something that really immersed me into the descriptions of the setting. the moral themes in this book are quite advanced the more you think about it. this wonderful little natural world has so much more to give and i'm so excited to see where it goes!

(hersent has my heart,,, she is one bamf)

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Geared towards a middle-school level, this story is about a young boy who struggles with speech and lacks confidence in himself. He ventures into the forest to save the last remaining wolves from a commanding and threatening herd of foxes. Exploring his speech disability would have been a great plot line instead of just focusing on the bullying he endured. Some of the forest scenes felt drawn out, the fight scenes were more graphic than necessary, and the plot of words being able to hypnotize an entire race of animals was a stretch.

[Annalise Kraines · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was sweet and in many ways it read like a classic children's novel. I loved the themes about language and how it shapes every aspect of our lives. I loved the idea of the expansive and mysterious Forest, and I can respect the way the animals were characterized (even though it made me a tiny bit sad). Unfortunately I didn't find Silas to be very active or loveable as a character, and the plot felt kinda stilted to me. A lot of interesting things began in this book, but I don't think they ran their course long enough.

[Kristen Valenzuela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book as a freebie from a bookstore as an added goodie in my bag. It looks beautiful, but is was deceiving. While the premise was good and some of the messages about power within the text were spot on, the delivery was lacking. I imagined a kid reading this (it’s for middle grade) and getting scared and feeling powerless even though the message was intended to be the opposite. It felt unfinished .

[Keshia · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best children's books I've ever read. Others mention the adventure of animals in the forest and the verbal autism the child struggles with, but this is also an introduction to understanding how people use words to manipulate others: gaslighting, reframing, labels, and lies. And understanding THAT is a great first step into not being bullied anymore. I hope to see that applied in the sequel.

[Ellen Deckinga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt it had more of a classic literature vibe. Lots of room for readers to insert their own thinking. The end was kind of rushed.
I am trying to decide if this is one my students will enjoy. They like talking animals. They like when a human is transported to the animal world. They like when a narrative isn’t too complex. This book has all of those things.

[Kieran Fanning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed WOLFSTONGUE by Sam Thompson - the story of a boy with speech problems who discovers that he can talk to wolves. His gift gets him caught up in a wolf/fox conflict. An animal fantasy which reminded me of THE WILDWOOD CHRONICLES by Colin Meloy. Highly recommended.

[Kristen Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sincere thank you to NetGalley, Publisher Spotlight, and Little Island Books for providing me an advanced copy of “Wolfstongue” in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this story and leave my review voluntarily.

[LudmilaM · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Very original, thought provoking story about what power bring stories, words and names into our lives, and in this case lives of animals. Adventure like no other that dips a little into ancient magic of nature as well. Wonderful read.