The Devouring Wolf

This engaging chapter book introduces Riley Callahan, a twelve-year-old werewolf who experiences the unthinkable: she doesn't shift on the night of her first full moon. As she grapples with feelings of not being 'enough,' a terrifying legend, the Devouring Wolf, emerges from the woods, threatening her and the other non-shifters. The story blends fantasy, mystery, and spooky elements, offering a thrilling adventure for middle-grade readers. It thoughtfully explores themes of identity, belonging, family in its many forms, and courage, all within a casually queer-inclusive world.

"A perfect read for every kid and every kid at heart who's ever felt like they weren't enough. This story of family in all its many forms is as deliciously fun to read as it is deeply relevant." —Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Sweet Pea A queer tale about kid werewolves, big bad mistakes, and terrifying creatures, perfect for fans of Katherine Arden and R.L. Stine. Little wolf, little wolf, here I come. It's the eve of the first full moon of summer and twelve-year-old Riley Callahan is ready to turn into a wolf. Nothing can ruin her mood: not her little brother Milo’s teasing, not Mama N’s smoth-ering, and not even Mama C’s absence from their pack’s ceremony. But then the unthink-able happens—something that violates every rule of wolf magic—Riley and four other kids don’t shift. Riley is left with questions that even the pack leaders don’t have answers to. And to make matters far worse, it appears something was awoken in the woods that same night. The Devouring Wolf. The elders tell the tale of the Devouring Wolf to scare young pups into obedience. It’s a terrifying campfire story for fledging wolves, an old legend of a giant creature who consumes the magic inside young werewolves. But to Riley, the Devouring Wolf is more than lore: it’s real and it’s after her and her friends.