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Sammy Feral's Diaries of Weird
¡Peligro: hombres lobo! La frikipandilla de Samu, 1
Viernes, 3 de abril. Hola, me llamo Samuel Silvestre. La verdad es que nunca había tenido razones para escribir un diario¿ hasta hoy. Hoy mi vida ha dado un giro de ciento ochenta grados. He perdido a mi familia, he escapado por los pelos de la muerte y he descubierto que los hombres lobo son algo más que un invento para asustar a los niños. Por eso he decidido escribir este diario, para demostrar que no estoy loco cuando los hombres de blanco vengan a ponerme la camisa de fuerza. Pero será mejor que empiece por el principio...
- GenresYoung AdultHorrorFantasy
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2012
About the author
Eleanor Hawken
18 books11 followers... Throughout school I kept a diary, wrote bad poetry, song lyrics and stories. I wanted to grow up and be an actress, or a rock star, or maybe both. It never occurred to me that I could be a writer. Writers were good at spelling and had neat handwriting.
After school I went to Kings College London and did a degree in philosophy – I worked little and played hard, somehow I still passed. It was around then that I realised I wanted to become a writer. I was at a party telling a friend about a book I’d been reading. “Seriously,” I said. “The Northern Lights is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! Philip Pullman has created a masterpiece – if I could write something like that then I’d die happy”. And then it hit me, like a thunder bolt. That’s what I had to do with my life, I had to become a writer.
After university I headed home – which was now in Canterbury – and pretended to still be a student whilst trying to write stories. One day my mother confronted me. Mum: You should get a proper job. Me: But I don’t know what to do. Mum: What do you like? Me: Books?
So I moved back to London and started working in publishing. Children’s publishing. I then moved to the beautiful city of Bath to work for Parragon Books as a writer and editor on their Disney team. It was at Parragon that the idea for Will Solvit came about… and the kind people at Parragon let me write my crazy idea down… and it became a book…and that book became a series…
As Will Solvit was launched into the world, I was put in touch with the lovely people at the Miles Stott Children’s Literary Agency. And they agreed to help me get some of my other stories published. By this point I’d had an idea for a book about a boy whose family owned a zoo. Except I didn’t want to write about normal zoo animals like lions and tigers and bears, I wanted to write about weird animals. Animals that people believe don’t actually exist – animals like werewolves, phoenixes, death worms and yetis.
After my first Sammy Feral book was written, I decided to quit my job in Bath, leave my lovely flat and my friends behind and board a plane with my boyfriend, Luke, to travel the lengths of the Americas. Some friends of mine had kindly leant me a small laptop to travel with, and it was during my travels that I wrote The Blue Lady. I wrote in beach-side cafes, jungle huts, tropical islands, dusty cities and ancient ruins. We were in Itacare in Brazil when I had an email from my agent telling me that Quercus Children’s Books wanted to publish Sammy Feral’s Diaries of Weird.
After we returned home from our adventure of a lifetime, we moved back to London and both got jobs. Luke found a job that allows him to wear a fancy suit and tell people what to do all day, and I found an awesome job as a part time fiction editor for Simon and Schuster Children’s Books, which is great as it still gives me time to write. Within a year of being back on English soil, The Blue Lady was signed by Hot Key Books and Quercus signed another two Sammy Feral books. So I had a busy year in 2012 trying to get everything written…
And at the end of 2012, Luke – who I travelled the world with and has supported me every step of the way on my rocky quest to become an author – became my husband.
Luke and I still live in London, he still wears a suit and tells people what to do, and I work part time editing other people’s books whilst writing my own. I’m currently working on a follow-up book to The Blue Lady. It will be another ghost story, and I love every minute of writing it!
- excerpted from her website
After school I went to Kings College London and did a degree in philosophy – I worked little and played hard, somehow I still passed. It was around then that I realised I wanted to become a writer. I was at a party telling a friend about a book I’d been reading. “Seriously,” I said. “The Northern Lights is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! Philip Pullman has created a masterpiece – if I could write something like that then I’d die happy”. And then it hit me, like a thunder bolt. That’s what I had to do with my life, I had to become a writer.
After university I headed home – which was now in Canterbury – and pretended to still be a student whilst trying to write stories. One day my mother confronted me. Mum: You should get a proper job. Me: But I don’t know what to do. Mum: What do you like? Me: Books?
So I moved back to London and started working in publishing. Children’s publishing. I then moved to the beautiful city of Bath to work for Parragon Books as a writer and editor on their Disney team. It was at Parragon that the idea for Will Solvit came about… and the kind people at Parragon let me write my crazy idea down… and it became a book…and that book became a series…
As Will Solvit was launched into the world, I was put in touch with the lovely people at the Miles Stott Children’s Literary Agency. And they agreed to help me get some of my other stories published. By this point I’d had an idea for a book about a boy whose family owned a zoo. Except I didn’t want to write about normal zoo animals like lions and tigers and bears, I wanted to write about weird animals. Animals that people believe don’t actually exist – animals like werewolves, phoenixes, death worms and yetis.
After my first Sammy Feral book was written, I decided to quit my job in Bath, leave my lovely flat and my friends behind and board a plane with my boyfriend, Luke, to travel the lengths of the Americas. Some friends of mine had kindly leant me a small laptop to travel with, and it was during my travels that I wrote The Blue Lady. I wrote in beach-side cafes, jungle huts, tropical islands, dusty cities and ancient ruins. We were in Itacare in Brazil when I had an email from my agent telling me that Quercus Children’s Books wanted to publish Sammy Feral’s Diaries of Weird.
After we returned home from our adventure of a lifetime, we moved back to London and both got jobs. Luke found a job that allows him to wear a fancy suit and tell people what to do all day, and I found an awesome job as a part time fiction editor for Simon and Schuster Children’s Books, which is great as it still gives me time to write. Within a year of being back on English soil, The Blue Lady was signed by Hot Key Books and Quercus signed another two Sammy Feral books. So I had a busy year in 2012 trying to get everything written…
And at the end of 2012, Luke – who I travelled the world with and has supported me every step of the way on my rocky quest to become an author – became my husband.
Luke and I still live in London, he still wears a suit and tells people what to do, and I work part time editing other people’s books whilst writing my own. I’m currently working on a follow-up book to The Blue Lady. It will be another ghost story, and I love every minute of writing it!
- excerpted from her website
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 2, 2020
This is one of the best books I have read. I love fantasy and this is perfect for anyone who likes it. The story has lots of details but it isn't to the point of it being boring. It keeps the story going with multiple plot lines. If you do enjoy the story enough there is many more for it is part of a series.
July 28, 2021
I loved this book series as a young teenager and remember finishing this series at the age of 14.
It was very engaging and cleverly written, and was also well-illustrated.
It was a lovely part of my childhood and I honestly loved the book series this book belonged to and used to carry some of the books everywhere with me. I remember reading one in a tent somewhere in Malham, England, too.
It was very engaging and cleverly written, and was also well-illustrated.
It was a lovely part of my childhood and I honestly loved the book series this book belonged to and used to carry some of the books everywhere with me. I remember reading one in a tent somewhere in Malham, England, too.
October 16, 2019
It was a good book.I read it about a year or two ago.Dont remember very much.But I enjoyed it very much...
October 30, 2014
I liked this book, however I would have liked it more had the author explained a couple things. One thing I would have liked explained is why, when the family turns into werewolves, they lack the family habits of real wolves. What I mean by this is that only in extreme or desperate situations do wolves usually turn on pack members. Though human, it doesn't feel realistic to me that as wolves they would want to eat Sammy, especially considering most wolves also prefer to avoid humans. I would think, unless there was a good reason behind this, such as they were starving,that they wouldn't have even thought about eating him. The other thing I had a problem with was the fact that wolves were basically represented as nothing but bloodthirsty killers when killing would only be on a real wolf's mind once every few days when it's time to hunt. I'm sure, being half human, would make them want to hunt upon becoming a wolf since humans eat every day so they probably would be hungry, but I still didn't feel as if there thoughts were realistic for what a real wolf would think. For this reason I would have liked the differences between real wolves and werewolves explained, especially considering the Feral family own and live in a zoo where Sammy would know a bit about real wolves and how they act.
Because of the zoo thing I had expected the werewolves to act more like real wolves and not how werewolves, and even real wolves, are often portrayed.
With that said, I did really enjoy this book and want to read the rest of the series.
Because of the zoo thing I had expected the werewolves to act more like real wolves and not how werewolves, and even real wolves, are often portrayed.
With that said, I did really enjoy this book and want to read the rest of the series.
November 24, 2015
Sammy Feral is a lucky boy. His family runs a zoo and so he spends his spare time hanging out with orangutans, crocodiles and snakes. But his luck has just run out. His entire family has been infected with a werewolf virus. Now his mum, dad and sisters are howling at the moon, craving raw meat and, worst of all, trying to infect Sammy.
I chose this book for my October Chatterbooks session - Halloween, werewolves - predictable maybe, but hey.
Of course I have to read each title a month ahead to make sure it is suitable before I hand it out to the group. This one was a quick easy read, written in the form of Sammy's diary and featuring black and white drawings of the main characters. I managed to read over half of it at the bus stop waiting for a bus to work that didn't come.
Sammy is an unlikely hero, but a likeable one. He is a good kid who wants to do the right thing, but who is prepared to bend the rules to help his family. He has a penchant for using strange similies and metaphors, which you wouldn't necessarily expect to hear from a boy his age - but then Sammy isn't exactly a normal boy, even before he becomes the only human in a family of werewolves.
I hope my group will enjoy it. I liked it enough to want to read the Yeti sequel, and that is a definite recommendation.
I chose this book for my October Chatterbooks session - Halloween, werewolves - predictable maybe, but hey.
Of course I have to read each title a month ahead to make sure it is suitable before I hand it out to the group. This one was a quick easy read, written in the form of Sammy's diary and featuring black and white drawings of the main characters. I managed to read over half of it at the bus stop waiting for a bus to work that didn't come.
Sammy is an unlikely hero, but a likeable one. He is a good kid who wants to do the right thing, but who is prepared to bend the rules to help his family. He has a penchant for using strange similies and metaphors, which you wouldn't necessarily expect to hear from a boy his age - but then Sammy isn't exactly a normal boy, even before he becomes the only human in a family of werewolves.
I hope my group will enjoy it. I liked it enough to want to read the Yeti sequel, and that is a definite recommendation.
October 2, 2013
Sammy Feral's Diaries of Weird was a fun, fast-paced read that I think young readers will love!
Sammy is a 12 yr old who has a pretty normal family. Together they run a zoo where Sammy loves to hang out. Life is great until his whole family is turned into werewolves and they are looking at him real hungry like.
It's a good thing for Sammy that there are some older kids hanging around the zoo that knows all about the weird and unusual. Donny is a cryptozoologist who collects weirdos and he warned Sammy that he might need his help. At the time Sammy just thought he was weird but now as the werewolves are closing in on him he wishes Donny was there.
Donny comes and saves Sammy and brings along a girl called Red. She can move things with her mind. Sammy's weird scale has hit the roof and so he decides to make a dairy out of it. Sammy will do anything to save his family so he sets out to try and find a werewolf cure.
Towards the end of the book it got a little more weird but I think that the kind of weirdness will appeal to young readers. Overall, I thought it was a really cute, fun book for the young reader who is into the weird, the unusual, and the paranormal.
Sammy is a 12 yr old who has a pretty normal family. Together they run a zoo where Sammy loves to hang out. Life is great until his whole family is turned into werewolves and they are looking at him real hungry like.
It's a good thing for Sammy that there are some older kids hanging around the zoo that knows all about the weird and unusual. Donny is a cryptozoologist who collects weirdos and he warned Sammy that he might need his help. At the time Sammy just thought he was weird but now as the werewolves are closing in on him he wishes Donny was there.
Donny comes and saves Sammy and brings along a girl called Red. She can move things with her mind. Sammy's weird scale has hit the roof and so he decides to make a dairy out of it. Sammy will do anything to save his family so he sets out to try and find a werewolf cure.
Towards the end of the book it got a little more weird but I think that the kind of weirdness will appeal to young readers. Overall, I thought it was a really cute, fun book for the young reader who is into the weird, the unusual, and the paranormal.
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February 18, 2014Reviewed by author, Liss Norton, for Serendipity Reviews.
This story is set out as a diary that documents the weird things happening in Sammy Feral's life. Set mostly in the zoo run by Sammy's parents, it's an action-packed danger fest written in a chatty, modern style that will appeal to children aged eight and over who like a fast moving plot. When Sammy's parents and two sisters turn into werewolves, the race is on for him to find a cure before the next full moon. With the help of two people with special powers, he begins a quest that brings him into conflict with his best friend, his teacher, an evil professor and a horde of journalists.
The book is easy to read, with a few jokey asides from Sammy that lighten the tension. I have to say that I felt the author rather overdid the similes and some of the characters are a bit one-dimensional, but that doesn't detract from the plot which is what this book is all about. I'd certainly recommend it for children who don't like reading much, especially (at risk of sounding sexist) boys who think books are for girls.
This story is set out as a diary that documents the weird things happening in Sammy Feral's life. Set mostly in the zoo run by Sammy's parents, it's an action-packed danger fest written in a chatty, modern style that will appeal to children aged eight and over who like a fast moving plot. When Sammy's parents and two sisters turn into werewolves, the race is on for him to find a cure before the next full moon. With the help of two people with special powers, he begins a quest that brings him into conflict with his best friend, his teacher, an evil professor and a horde of journalists.
The book is easy to read, with a few jokey asides from Sammy that lighten the tension. I have to say that I felt the author rather overdid the similes and some of the characters are a bit one-dimensional, but that doesn't detract from the plot which is what this book is all about. I'd certainly recommend it for children who don't like reading much, especially (at risk of sounding sexist) boys who think books are for girls.
February 25, 2014
Sammy Feral, twelve years old, walks into his house one night to find his family murdered. Except, before he can process that information, the corpses start coming back to life and turning into wolves that want to eat him. Luckily, the Feral family runs the Feral Zoo, so when a "cryptozoologist" knocks his werewolf family out with tranquilizer darts it's easy to find cages to keep them in. And thus begins Sammy's quest to find a cure for werewolf infection before their secret gets out and ruins the family.
This is a quick-reading, lighthearted, action-focused book that I had fun escaping into and finishing in one sitting. It has a nice mix of horror, humor, relatability, and caricature.
This is a quick-reading, lighthearted, action-focused book that I had fun escaping into and finishing in one sitting. It has a nice mix of horror, humor, relatability, and caricature.
March 20, 2014
Sammy Feral thought he was a normal twelve year old boy, with a pretty ordinary family that own a zoo.
Except one day he comes home to find his family murdered. Chronicling his crazy life using the Feral Scale of Weirdness after he learns his family has been infected with the Were virus.
Teamed up with the dynamic duo Donny and Red "cryptozoologist" Sammy must race against the clock before the next full moon to find a cure for the were virus and save the zoo from the evil Professor.
A witty, quick-paced middle grade read, Hawken's diary style writing will appeal to fans of the Wimpy Kids series. Sammy and co provide an action packed adventure any tween would be envious of.
Read for Tween BookClub I Host and local bookstore
Except one day he comes home to find his family murdered. Chronicling his crazy life using the Feral Scale of Weirdness after he learns his family has been infected with the Were virus.
Teamed up with the dynamic duo Donny and Red "cryptozoologist" Sammy must race against the clock before the next full moon to find a cure for the were virus and save the zoo from the evil Professor.
A witty, quick-paced middle grade read, Hawken's diary style writing will appeal to fans of the Wimpy Kids series. Sammy and co provide an action packed adventure any tween would be envious of.
Read for Tween BookClub I Host and local bookstore
March 30, 2014
Written in a diary format, this is the story of Sammy Feral and his family, who happen to have been turned into werewolves. Sammy is a pretty typical 12-year-old who is annoyed by his family until they aren't around anymore. Fortunately, Donny, a cryptozoologist, comes to help Sammy and teach him about werewolves and other mythical creatures. Unfortunately, Donny tells Sammy that there is no cure for his family. While Sammy's perseverance and love for his family is admirable the fact that Sammy ignores all his friends and school work in order to find a cure bothered me. The story also seemed to lag in parts. I think that tweens interested in mystical creatures will enjoy this fun story, but it definitely not any work of great literature.
May 7, 2014
Sammy Feral is a great hero for kids! This book was a quick and easy read for my 9 year old son that I quite enjoyed as well. If you like books for elementary kids without too much gross out humour, then this would be a great one to choose.
I liked this book for a lot of reasons. The author has a good sense of humour and used it to pilot the story. My son and I laughed a lot and he really got into the reading, which was nice to see. I enjoyed watching his reactions to the things that happened in this book.
I also liked that there are no dull moments in this book where nothing is happening. The action is progressive throughout the story and the characters are a lot of fun.
I would definitely recommend this book to parents.
I liked this book for a lot of reasons. The author has a good sense of humour and used it to pilot the story. My son and I laughed a lot and he really got into the reading, which was nice to see. I enjoyed watching his reactions to the things that happened in this book.
I also liked that there are no dull moments in this book where nothing is happening. The action is progressive throughout the story and the characters are a lot of fun.
I would definitely recommend this book to parents.
November 20, 2013
This book should definitely appeal to those boys who loved Goosebumps and Wimpy Kid: the humor and the horror are mixed relatively equally.
Sammy Feral (how well named!) is the son of a zookeeper, living a relatively normal life when one day his family is bitten by Caliban, their dog. Caliban wasn't just a dog, he was a werewolf and with those bites, Sammy's life goes from normal to Very Weird Indeed. Worse, he can't really share the weirdness with Max, his best friend, which puts a real strain on the relationship. Will he be able to cure his family? Can he save the Zoo? Read and find out.
ARC provided by publisher.
Sammy Feral (how well named!) is the son of a zookeeper, living a relatively normal life when one day his family is bitten by Caliban, their dog. Caliban wasn't just a dog, he was a werewolf and with those bites, Sammy's life goes from normal to Very Weird Indeed. Worse, he can't really share the weirdness with Max, his best friend, which puts a real strain on the relationship. Will he be able to cure his family? Can he save the Zoo? Read and find out.
ARC provided by publisher.
May 27, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It is well written, with an action-packed story. The characters are well drawn and the kind of kids you want to spend time with. Could change the opinion of any child who thinks books are boring!
February 4, 2014
This was a great book! I was looking at books at my online library, and was drawn by the cover. There are cute little illustrations put randomly through the book. The book has suspense and intrigue. I suspect it may be too scary for little kids, but teenagers it would be just fine.
June 27, 2015
Really interesting and witty take on the paranormal creatures (like werewolves). I really enjoyed it and loved Sammy as a character. Definitely one I will be introducing and talking up to students this upcoming school year.
November 30, 2013
Cute book. Good read for ages 9-14 and some adults like me. Great idea for a book but wish it was a bit longer. Will read the sequels. Happy Reading:)
November 19, 2013
Cute book. I thought Jake would get a kick out of it, but I read it instead. It's silly and fun.
January 7, 2014
Very intense and fun. "Oh my gosh! What's going to happen next? How is he going to get out of this? Ahh!"
December 9, 2015
Awesome and hilarious.
March 4, 2024
It was amazing and entertained me to the fullest. All the books are amazing and I could read them ten times from the front cover to the back cover.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews