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Lone Wolf
Twelve-year-old Hugo has lived in eight different houses in the last five years and he's lived with the Collins' for seventy-two hours. He's hoping this house will be different than the previous ones.
- GenresMiddle Grade
53 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 28, 2023
Lone Wolf is delightful. The writing style is both whimsical and mature, direct and nuanced. Probably the easiest 5-star rating I've ever given ( to be fair, it's a really short book). Oh! That was another great thing. The TEEN author also tells a complete story in few words and with subtle (and not-so-subtle) sarcasm. Laughed aloud.
But the characterization is what got me most. Raeca Klassen is able, in subtle ways (and hilarious footnotes), to show a character for who he or she is. Kind kids, self-important kids, bossy kids, a grumpy old man (who feels like a bit of an Ove but not), and a subtle allegory woven through it in a fresh way. What's not to love?
But the characterization is what got me most. Raeca Klassen is able, in subtle ways (and hilarious footnotes), to show a character for who he or she is. Kind kids, self-important kids, bossy kids, a grumpy old man (who feels like a bit of an Ove but not), and a subtle allegory woven through it in a fresh way. What's not to love?
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June 29, 2023Such a wonderful book that tackles the tough topic of foster care and not having a place to belong and mixes in some lighthearted humor and heartwarming found family. I'm amazed at how articulate and lovely this book is, considering how young the author is. I can't wait to read more books that she publishes as she continues to grow as a writer!
February 18, 2024
Really cute and fun story! And I love the ending🫶🏻🤍
September 15, 2023
This debut novel from Christian tween writer Raeca Klassen is a heartfelt and touching middle grade story that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. In a spectacular mix of emotion and humor, Raeca has crafted a memorable cast of characters guaranteed to squeeze their way into your heart in this short read. Outlining the joys and difficulties of foster life from both the perspective of the foster children and the foster family, this book may make you laugh and cry in a matter of minutes, as we follow Hugo and his foster family, the Collins.
I'm so excited to share about this beautiful book! But first, a little bit of background for this book: I follow Chantel Klassen on all three of her YouTube channels. I love seeing what they’re doing with their homeschooling, and I have enjoyed hearing about their foster journey so incredibly. And, if you’ve been following my book reviews, you’ve probably figured out that I love a good foster story. Hearing about these kids and the families that take them in is just so important, and that is just so near to my heart. So, when I heard that Chantel’s daughter was going to be publishing a middle grade story about a boy in foster care, I had extremely high hopes. It more than met my expectations, and I couldn’t put it down. I was able to grab a Kindle copy for only a couple of dollars. After reading it, I would love to own a physical copy of this book, because this is one I will be revisiting in the future.
Since this story was poignant yet short, I don’t really want to share too much about what happens, because I feel that could easily be a spoiler, so I’m going to try and keep this review vague, so that you can discover the many amazing plot twists on your own. As always, the characters are what matters most to me, so I’m going to start by talking about them. Hugo was a very relatable and real character. His diary-like entries were so raw and real without being too heavy, and I really appreciated that. Also, I really appreciated the fact that the Collins seemed like such a real family. And the character names… they were terrific, and I loved that aspect of the story. I liked all the side-characters as well, and I was very happy with some of the character development that happened there.
The footnotes were amazingly funny! I really enjoyed all the different jokes tucked in there, and I found myself chuckling at many of them. It just made the book really fun. I also really loved the beginning of this story, because it was extremely humorous, and really set the tone for the way the story was written. The humor blended with the reality of foster life was incredible, and this little story had so much depth to it, that I was not expecting! Raeca wrote a deeper story here than I have seen many adults write.
Also, the title and cover really represented the book well. After finishing, I went and studied the cover, and enjoyed all of the little bits and elements of the story that Raeca brought to the cover. And, the title is excellent, especially because many of the chapters started with a fact about wolves. It just tied in so well, and I loved it. Ooh, another random thing to note is that I think it was my all-time favorite author bio. It just made me smile so much. Great job on that, Raeca.
I would definitely recommend reading this book if you have enjoyed other middle-grade foster stories, such as Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins, and Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff. In fact, I should probably make a list of the foster care books I would recommend (this one will definitely be making it on there!).
As far as content goes, I have very little to note. It was extremely clean, and managed to handle tough subjects without going too far. The only thing that could be slightly triggering is the fact that it is about a foster child who was abandoned by his mother, and he’s dealing with that and trying to fit in with his foster family. However, I think that unless this is triggering, it’s really very appropriate and clean for just about any age.
So, yes, I would highly recommend checking out this book! I believe it was published using Kindle Direct Publishing, so it is available in physical and digital format on Amazon. Raeca did such a good job getting this story together, putting together the cover, and getting it published. There aren’t many adults who can do all that by themselves, much less tweens. I’m just so excited to see what she does next. If you aren’t following her blog, Writer’s Block, please check it out, because she posts such amazing updates and writing advice. She is such a sweet author, and I am so honored to have the privilege of reading her insightful thoughts. Yay for homeschooled writers!!!
I eagerly look forward to reading more of Raeca’s work in the future, and can’t wait to share this story with my younger siblings. I have no doubt that it will make an absolutely fantastic read-aloud. I highly, highly recommend that you pick this one up. Complete warning, though… you will crave mint chocolate chip ice cream.
I'm so excited to share about this beautiful book! But first, a little bit of background for this book: I follow Chantel Klassen on all three of her YouTube channels. I love seeing what they’re doing with their homeschooling, and I have enjoyed hearing about their foster journey so incredibly. And, if you’ve been following my book reviews, you’ve probably figured out that I love a good foster story. Hearing about these kids and the families that take them in is just so important, and that is just so near to my heart. So, when I heard that Chantel’s daughter was going to be publishing a middle grade story about a boy in foster care, I had extremely high hopes. It more than met my expectations, and I couldn’t put it down. I was able to grab a Kindle copy for only a couple of dollars. After reading it, I would love to own a physical copy of this book, because this is one I will be revisiting in the future.
Since this story was poignant yet short, I don’t really want to share too much about what happens, because I feel that could easily be a spoiler, so I’m going to try and keep this review vague, so that you can discover the many amazing plot twists on your own. As always, the characters are what matters most to me, so I’m going to start by talking about them. Hugo was a very relatable and real character. His diary-like entries were so raw and real without being too heavy, and I really appreciated that. Also, I really appreciated the fact that the Collins seemed like such a real family. And the character names… they were terrific, and I loved that aspect of the story. I liked all the side-characters as well, and I was very happy with some of the character development that happened there.
The footnotes were amazingly funny! I really enjoyed all the different jokes tucked in there, and I found myself chuckling at many of them. It just made the book really fun. I also really loved the beginning of this story, because it was extremely humorous, and really set the tone for the way the story was written. The humor blended with the reality of foster life was incredible, and this little story had so much depth to it, that I was not expecting! Raeca wrote a deeper story here than I have seen many adults write.
Also, the title and cover really represented the book well. After finishing, I went and studied the cover, and enjoyed all of the little bits and elements of the story that Raeca brought to the cover. And, the title is excellent, especially because many of the chapters started with a fact about wolves. It just tied in so well, and I loved it. Ooh, another random thing to note is that I think it was my all-time favorite author bio. It just made me smile so much. Great job on that, Raeca.
I would definitely recommend reading this book if you have enjoyed other middle-grade foster stories, such as Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins, and Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff. In fact, I should probably make a list of the foster care books I would recommend (this one will definitely be making it on there!).
As far as content goes, I have very little to note. It was extremely clean, and managed to handle tough subjects without going too far. The only thing that could be slightly triggering is the fact that it is about a foster child who was abandoned by his mother, and he’s dealing with that and trying to fit in with his foster family. However, I think that unless this is triggering, it’s really very appropriate and clean for just about any age.
So, yes, I would highly recommend checking out this book! I believe it was published using Kindle Direct Publishing, so it is available in physical and digital format on Amazon. Raeca did such a good job getting this story together, putting together the cover, and getting it published. There aren’t many adults who can do all that by themselves, much less tweens. I’m just so excited to see what she does next. If you aren’t following her blog, Writer’s Block, please check it out, because she posts such amazing updates and writing advice. She is such a sweet author, and I am so honored to have the privilege of reading her insightful thoughts. Yay for homeschooled writers!!!
I eagerly look forward to reading more of Raeca’s work in the future, and can’t wait to share this story with my younger siblings. I have no doubt that it will make an absolutely fantastic read-aloud. I highly, highly recommend that you pick this one up. Complete warning, though… you will crave mint chocolate chip ice cream.
September 7, 2023
Raeca Klassen has quite the future ahead of her as a writer! I loved the narrative voice, especially the lists and footnotes. These were compelling characters in such a short novella. I would love to see how Raeca would develop these characters into an even deeper story in five years or so.
September 22, 2024
"Canis lupus!"
Raeca Klassen's Lone Wolf was such an enjoyable read for me! The book follows twelve-year-old Hugo, who grows beautifully over time with the Collins' family.
In the beginning of the book, Hugo's language is filled with strikethroughs and repetitiveness, and as he forms loving bonds with Dean, Dash, Emma, and even Elizabeth Jane Collins, the language softens and the strikethroughs dissolve. I loved the little details included in the cover, which now I understand after reading, and the intriguing facts about wolves at the start of every chapter.
All in all, the book was a short, but a complete story, that grappled my attention easily. Definitely recommend!
(Am I the only one who ships Hugo and Ava? 🤣)
Raeca Klassen's Lone Wolf was such an enjoyable read for me! The book follows twelve-year-old Hugo, who grows beautifully over time with the Collins' family.
In the beginning of the book, Hugo's language is filled with strikethroughs and repetitiveness, and as he forms loving bonds with Dean, Dash, Emma, and even Elizabeth Jane Collins, the language softens and the strikethroughs dissolve. I loved the little details included in the cover, which now I understand after reading, and the intriguing facts about wolves at the start of every chapter.
All in all, the book was a short, but a complete story, that grappled my attention easily. Definitely recommend!
(Am I the only one who ships Hugo and Ava? 🤣)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2024
This was a really heartwarming story! All Hugo wants is to find a family, and he feels like a failure after 8 families have taken him into their homes through foster care and then sent him back into the system. He wants to view the things in the Collins’ home as his—his bedroom, his brothers and sisters—but he knows there’s no guarantee that they’ll keep him, and so he corrects himself—making it “the bedroom” and “the kids” instead. It’s heartbreaking to see his yearning for a place to call home and his fear of rejection conflicting with each other. But in the end, his life isn’t the only one that’s changed in this very hopeful story of someone longing to be seen and to belong.
January 8, 2024
Super quick read. It's only 80 pages including the author bio and everything and yet it was a truly complete story. The author can communicate quite a lot with only a few words. The main character is in foster care and it's an emotional dive into what it truly means to belong.
November 9, 2023
This story exceeded my expectations. The delivery was brilliant. The chapters and overall length were short but just right. My heartache at parts was relieved by perfect touches of humor. Written by an exceptional talent, I would love to read more from.
July 6, 2023
A future must buy author for me. The story was wonderful and brought tears to my eyes. Can’t wait to see what Raeca writes next!!
February 12, 2026
Lone Wolf is a simplistic short story about a boy named Hugo who is in foster care.
This story is a touching, sweet, humorous, and easy contemporary read for those who enjoy books such as Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins (I saw many similarities between these stories).
My personal thoughts:
Frankly, there isn’t enough time or explanation for me to fully digest what’s going on (the whole book from cover to cover is only 78 pages). I had to read the story three times before I understood which character was which. Although this might have been intentional, introducing so many characters from the same family all at once is hard to pull off in such a short timeframe because they all got muddled together.
I think the author did a good job of portraying the main character’s perspective through the short chapters and repetitive footnotes. I felt like I was in Hugo’s head, reading his journal. (Especially with all of the crossed out and underlined words which I’ve never seen in a published work before.)
*There may be spoilers ahead*
My FAVORITE character was Elizabeth Jane Collins! Her arc was solid gold, and it made me tear up (not really) at the end. She deserves a whole star: ⭐️
Conclusion:
This children’s story is definitely an early introduction into writing books, but it is still powerful and I applaud the author for her inspiration to teen authors such as myself! Such a heartwarming plot.
Quote:
“Eventually she always leaves.”
“But the Collins’ don’t.”
“The Collins’ don’t.” I agree.
But what’s with the strange relationship with Mr. Garfield?! Like, is it just me or was that really strange?
This story is a touching, sweet, humorous, and easy contemporary read for those who enjoy books such as Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins (I saw many similarities between these stories).
My personal thoughts:
Frankly, there isn’t enough time or explanation for me to fully digest what’s going on (the whole book from cover to cover is only 78 pages). I had to read the story three times before I understood which character was which. Although this might have been intentional, introducing so many characters from the same family all at once is hard to pull off in such a short timeframe because they all got muddled together.
I think the author did a good job of portraying the main character’s perspective through the short chapters and repetitive footnotes. I felt like I was in Hugo’s head, reading his journal. (Especially with all of the crossed out and underlined words which I’ve never seen in a published work before.)
*There may be spoilers ahead*
My FAVORITE character was Elizabeth Jane Collins! Her arc was solid gold, and it made me tear up (not really) at the end. She deserves a whole star: ⭐️
Conclusion:
This children’s story is definitely an early introduction into writing books, but it is still powerful and I applaud the author for her inspiration to teen authors such as myself! Such a heartwarming plot.
Quote:
“Eventually she always leaves.”
“But the Collins’ don’t.”
“The Collins’ don’t.” I agree.
But what’s with the strange relationship with Mr. Garfield?! Like, is it just me or was that really strange?
January 9, 2024
This is an amazing middle grade story. It shines a spotlight on foster care, on how it effects the children and the foster families and everyone they come in contact with. Hugo is a young boy feeling like he is never wanted. He has been in eight different foster homes in five years and now he is with the Collins family and trying to find his place.
This book will tug at your heart. It is an honest depiction written by a young teen girl, who knows a little about being a foster family. I love the honesty and the vulnerability. I am so impressed that she used so much information about wolves to express Hugo and his situation. It was very clever. I also really liked the cover. I can't say enough great things about this book. It is short but sweet and gets to the heart of the issue. I will be watching for more from this young author.
This book will tug at your heart. It is an honest depiction written by a young teen girl, who knows a little about being a foster family. I love the honesty and the vulnerability. I am so impressed that she used so much information about wolves to express Hugo and his situation. It was very clever. I also really liked the cover. I can't say enough great things about this book. It is short but sweet and gets to the heart of the issue. I will be watching for more from this young author.
April 19, 2026
after reading some books one stares at a wall and tries to comprehend how their going to rate it, but with this one, without a doubt it was 5*.
character development was there,
a happy ending was so needed for Hugo, and it was totally there,
cool facts about wolves at the beginning of each chapter, (I should totally add something like that to my book)
an insightful look at the foster care system,
and ice cream.
I found this book from watching her mom's channel, Searching for a good book, and of course I found one, or I wouldn't be writing this review.
from one teen writer to another, you literally did an amazing job! as for Abbie Emmons book I noticed you read...well lets just say every teen writer needs someone to look up to, if she was that I would have to relate.
if you write another book let me know, if not I guess I'll just have to read Lone Wolf again. *contented sigh*
character development was there,
a happy ending was so needed for Hugo, and it was totally there,
cool facts about wolves at the beginning of each chapter, (I should totally add something like that to my book)
an insightful look at the foster care system,
and ice cream.
I found this book from watching her mom's channel, Searching for a good book, and of course I found one, or I wouldn't be writing this review.
from one teen writer to another, you literally did an amazing job! as for Abbie Emmons book I noticed you read...well lets just say every teen writer needs someone to look up to, if she was that I would have to relate.
if you write another book let me know, if not I guess I'll just have to read Lone Wolf again. *contented sigh*
August 10, 2023
Lone Wolf is an amazing story that really shows an in depth view of what foster care is really like. Written by a promising young author, who just so happens to be my best friend. looking forward to reading more of Raeca's works!
September 29, 2024
I just finished “Lone Wolf” and it was the most beautiful story. I absolutely loved the ending, it made me tear up. Raeca, keep up the good work and I will be looking forward to to reading more from you in the future.
May 31, 2023
The only thing better than a humorous, yet hard-hitting middle-grade book is a humorous, yet hard-hitting middle-grade book that your daughter wrote. I couldn't be prouder!
June 6, 2023
Get this girl some mint chip ice ceam!! I really found myself carin about Hugo. Raeca, you have a very promising future ahead of you!
November 22, 2023
Nice story about the foster care system. Very impressive from a twelve year old author.
January 17, 2024
Absolutely loved this. Cannot wait to read more from Raeca!
April 16, 2024
This was so good. I loved it💜
May 10, 2024
Beautifully written story by a very young author. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for her!
June 26, 2025
There are many ways to write a great book. This is one of them. The book end.
February 17, 2024
A witty, poetic, funny, touching book.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews