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The Paper Wolf
Gracie Anderson may only be eleven, but five years in foster care has taught her that happy endings don’t exist in the real world, not for kids like her anyway. And she’s convinced this next foster home will be just as bad as all the others. Except… it’s not. The Barkmans are completely different from any family she’s ever known—and she doesn’t trust them one bit because no one is that understanding and compassionate. But no matter how hard Gracie pushes against them, how rude, rebellious, and disrespectful she is toward them, they consistently come back at her with faith, love, and acceptance. And when Gracie’s mom decides not to come back for her, the Barkmans welcome her as one of their own, proving that even someone as damaged as Gracie deserves the love of God and a family.
206 pages, Paperback
Published April 29, 2021
16 people want to read
About the author
Chrissy M. Dennis
6 books16 followersChrissy M. Dennis lives in Saskatchewan, Canada with her foster daughters and calico
kitty. She is a full-time mom and a part-time administrative assistant
for Renovaré Canada. Chrissy also loves to read, crochet and, of course, write, trusting the
Lord will use her books for the glory of God and the growth of His kingdom through the
healing work of the Gospel.
She carries a Masters of Divinity in Youth and Family Ministry. She loves working with
teens, and has felt the call of God to minister to the needs of youth in this culture. She
hopes to continue writing, specifically regarding issues relevant to today’s teens, offering a
message of salvation and hope. Her first novel, The Lion Cubs, received positive reviews
and deals with themes of abuse and abandonment.
kitty. She is a full-time mom and a part-time administrative assistant
for Renovaré Canada. Chrissy also loves to read, crochet and, of course, write, trusting the
Lord will use her books for the glory of God and the growth of His kingdom through the
healing work of the Gospel.
She carries a Masters of Divinity in Youth and Family Ministry. She loves working with
teens, and has felt the call of God to minister to the needs of youth in this culture. She
hopes to continue writing, specifically regarding issues relevant to today’s teens, offering a
message of salvation and hope. Her first novel, The Lion Cubs, received positive reviews
and deals with themes of abuse and abandonment.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 2, 2021
A beautiful, compelling, well-written story of grace under fire. Ms. Dennis has a deep understanding of and compassion for troubled youth, and it shines through in her writing. Raw and real, yet tastefully presented, this was a book I literally couldn't put down - I actually burned dinner... While intended for young people, this is a story with universal appeal. Read it.
May 2, 2021
Eleven years old and about to enter her twelfth foster home, Gracie Anderson knows a thing or two about survival. Life is pain, no one really cares, and the best she can hope for is to keep her head down and bide her time until the magical day when she and her mom can be a family again. But keeping her head down doesn't get rid of the anger. It also doesn't come as naturally as pushing back, running, and destroying things. No one wants Gracie, and Gracie doesn't want anyone. Or does she?
Along come the Barkmans. This foster family is different, somehow. Surely it's all an act. After all, real love is just something for TV shows and fairy tales, right? And the God they talk about, the one who sent his son Jesus? Well, surely he doesn't want anything to do with a mess like Gracie. Or does he?
Does Gracie dare let her walls down and let anyone else in? And what about her biological mom? Processing these questions and feelings is sometimes easier to do with claws and teeth, zoning out on her phone (who pays for the phone?), and making origami. The paper wolf stares at her from the shelf, but Gracie doesn't want to think about him too much.
Author Chrissy M. Dennis tells it like it is, not glossing over the hard things in this poignant story. I couldn't put the book down. Gracie is real, relatable, and I just had to find out what was going to happen to her. The book's message of hope and sacrificial love is particularly demonstrated in a compelling ending that had me at the edge of my seat. Highly recommended.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. This review was originally posted at http://www.powerwordsediting.com
Along come the Barkmans. This foster family is different, somehow. Surely it's all an act. After all, real love is just something for TV shows and fairy tales, right? And the God they talk about, the one who sent his son Jesus? Well, surely he doesn't want anything to do with a mess like Gracie. Or does he?
Does Gracie dare let her walls down and let anyone else in? And what about her biological mom? Processing these questions and feelings is sometimes easier to do with claws and teeth, zoning out on her phone (who pays for the phone?), and making origami. The paper wolf stares at her from the shelf, but Gracie doesn't want to think about him too much.
Author Chrissy M. Dennis tells it like it is, not glossing over the hard things in this poignant story. I couldn't put the book down. Gracie is real, relatable, and I just had to find out what was going to happen to her. The book's message of hope and sacrificial love is particularly demonstrated in a compelling ending that had me at the edge of my seat. Highly recommended.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. This review was originally posted at http://www.powerwordsediting.com
May 7, 2021
Wow.. This was a great read. From the first page I immediately got invested in Gracie and emotional over the life this sweet girl has lived. I know it is a fictional story but Ms Dennis truely brings a reality to what some kids face in the foster system. Several times I had tears in my eyes. The characters are well written and very dynamic. I love how God is woven into the story and the parallels drawn between the love of this new family and how God loves us. I also love how the book title represents an important message. Really really enjoyed the writing in the book. I hope this gets turned into a series because I really want to know more about Gracie's new life.
This is my first book by Chrissy Dennis but it won't be my last. I will be looking into her other books because I enjoy her story telling.
This is my first book by Chrissy Dennis but it won't be my last. I will be looking into her other books because I enjoy her story telling.
May 5, 2021
This newest book by Chrissy Dennis does not disappoint. The main character Gracie has so much depth to her and her story. My heart broke and had a deep hope for her.
Chrissy has a first hand view and experience with foster child/parent relationships and it is beautifully expressed and shared with the reader in this book.
The story is one of hope, love and redemption. I cannot wait to read this book again with my son.
Chrissy has a first hand view and experience with foster child/parent relationships and it is beautifully expressed and shared with the reader in this book.
The story is one of hope, love and redemption. I cannot wait to read this book again with my son.
May 4, 2021
The Paper Wolf gives exceptional insight into the hurts and difficulties of a young girl in foster care. This is partnered with the hope of finding a new family and in learning about the concept of a loving God. This is a must-read story that tugs at the heart strings and hopefully will inspire each of us to do more for children in the foster system.
September 30, 2022
This is a quick easy read. Written by a Saskatchewan foster parent- which is pretty cool.
The main character Gracie is really well written. Her story is well developed and I think readers will walk away from this book with a deeper understanding of childhood trauma and the effects it has on development, specifically attachment.
I really struggled with the other characters. I cringed when basically any other adult engaged with Gracie. Larry the social worker was particularly hard for me to side with. The way he spoke to her was really appalling saying things like “I’m really busy, you’re not the only kid on my caseload” etc. just hard for me to read. The principal drove me mad. Using words like “young lady” and the worst yet was when the foster parents were about to tell Gracie some life shattering news she was a bit snarky with them and they had to correct her behaviour- when they knew what they were going to tell her was going to break her heart.
I read it because I knew It would be fast but truthfully I didn’t really want to and I think it was because of the adults in her life and how they behaved.
The main character Gracie is really well written. Her story is well developed and I think readers will walk away from this book with a deeper understanding of childhood trauma and the effects it has on development, specifically attachment.
I really struggled with the other characters. I cringed when basically any other adult engaged with Gracie. Larry the social worker was particularly hard for me to side with. The way he spoke to her was really appalling saying things like “I’m really busy, you’re not the only kid on my caseload” etc. just hard for me to read. The principal drove me mad. Using words like “young lady” and the worst yet was when the foster parents were about to tell Gracie some life shattering news she was a bit snarky with them and they had to correct her behaviour- when they knew what they were going to tell her was going to break her heart.
I read it because I knew It would be fast but truthfully I didn’t really want to and I think it was because of the adults in her life and how they behaved.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews