I just want to hold this book in my heart and carry it around with me. It is beautifully written, full of warmth and tenderness found in the most unlikely of places.

I found The Wolf's Curse a delightful book.with a charming story. The characters were believable and I cared about them. It is easy to get caught up in the trials of this sweet boy and the friends he makes along the way. I highly recommend everyone to read this alluring tale.
By Peg Duenow

This middle grade fantasy follows the story of the Great White Wolf, sick of her centuries-long job (oh so relatable, for us adult readers), and Gauge, a young boy about to lose the grandfather who loved and protected him from superstitious townsfolk for years. What follows is a journey of grieving, friendship, misunderstanding, and unexpected kindness that sticks with you, and you’ll find yourself thinking of it long after you’ve reached the end.

The worldbuilding is beautifully done, and the Great White Wolf as the narrator is clever and funny. What I appreciated most is that this book covers grief in such a heartfelt, creative yet delicate way, and it makes us consider the things we do to help our loved ones and ourselves move on.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the chance to read an advance copy.

First, we need to acknowledge how beautiful this cover is.

Second, how well grief is written in this story.

Twelve-year-old Gauge’s life has been cursed since the day he saw an invisible Great White Wolf in his garden. Living in the superstitious town of Bouge-by-the-Sea where the ability to see the Wolf marks him as a Voyant (essentially a witch), Gauge has lived a very sheltered life. The townsfolk fear Voyant’s because they believe that they can call the Wolf and essentially call death upon whomever they please. When his Grandpapa, his protector, dies, he has to find a way to make the townspeople see how harmless he is while also grieving the loss of his last living relative.

This book was very well written, and although death and grief is not something that every child is interested in, I think this is a great book for kids who are dealing with grief and loss.

So much to unpack here. First of all, I'm in love with that cover--everything about it, and the title, just perfectly captures the heart of this book.

The Wolf's Curse centers the story of Gauge, apprentice to his carpenter grandfather. But accusations of witchcraft surround the boy, whose ability to see the Great White Wolf--the bringer of death--forces him into hiding when he should be living a normal childhood. When he befriends Roux, a young feather collector, they discover things about their village's customs that make them question everything they once believed.

This is such a special debut. Being of French descent myself, I loved that the language was the basis of Gauge's world. And the decision to have the book narrated by the snarky Wolf softens what is otherwise a heavy book. There is such a touching message about death, dying, and grief here and Vitalis uses a gentle hand to guide the reader through the process. I also loved her discussion of the superstitions we carry about passing.

A special thank you to the author and publisher for giving me a copy of this ARC to review.

This book is about death, grief, and mourning. Three things most middle grade readers are NOT asking for when they come into the library. I heard grade things about this book, but I didn't really like it, and I don't see middle grade readers liking it either.

This was a very touching read. I loved the style in which it was written. It handled subjects that can be hard to handle, but necessary to explore, and in such a lovely way. I enjoyed this!

A magical story with fairy tale vibes about Gauge, a young boy who is shunned by his village for being a Voyant, able to see the dreaded Wolf known to steal people's souls. Told from the omniscient perspective of the Wolf, who is misunderstood by the superstitious folk, this story is a wonderful tale of love, friendship, grief, and community. When Gauge's beloved grandfather dies, he is left trying to navigate his grief and mourning on his own, but soon makes friend with a village girl, Roux. The two help each other while uncovering the true secret of the Wolf's role in the villagers' lives and deaths.

I found the narration of the story to be distracting, despite a lot of delighted focus on it from the author and from other reviewers. But the story of Gauge was good enough to keep me invested and I think it's a strong book, covering issues of grief, belief, discrimination, and fairness, that will be popular with young readers.

Told from the point of view of the Wolf, it follows young Gauge and tries to offer him a job, which his grandpapá warned him about. Poignant tale of grief and healing, with a dystopian and mystical twist. Satisfying conclusion.

Compelling middle grade fantasy set in an imaginary French-inspired seaside nation. 12 year old Gauge is one of a minuscule minority of people with the innate ability to see The Wolf, a spirit believed to steal the souls of the newly dead before they can be safely released to the Sea-in-the-Sky (their version of an ideal afterlife). Normally people like Gauge are executed upon discovery and set out to sea to die of exposure or drowning as punishment for what the village assumes is the summoning of The Wolf. Gauge's loving grandfather has protected him from that fate (albeit at great cost) but with his protector's passing, Gauge suddenly finds himself alone in a highly superstitious town eager to pin their woes on an easy target. Gauge is also hunted by The Wolf, the story's narrator, who is eager to convince Gauge to take her place as The Wolf and usher Gauge into a system of life and death that is wholly foreign to the young boy. Trigger Warnings for death and mourning, although none of the deaths are violent or graphic. Ultimately a beautiful and thoughtful novel.

Beautifully written middle grade book about grief, tradition, and healing. The Wolf is a clever narrator, I adored the voice throughout the story. Gauge and Roux are charming and resourceful. I fell in love with the story-telling and the world of Gatineau.

Gauge has led a lonely existence for the past 6 years all because he said he could see a wolf, that no one saw. The Lord Mayor accused Gauge of being a Voyant and causing his wife's death. Gauge’s grandpapa was able to save Guage 6 years ago, but when his Grandpapa dies, and the wolf comes again Gauge isn’t so lucky. He is accused of being a Voyant again and the whole village is out to get him and sentence him to set sail. As he turns to Roux for help, both kids start to learn more about the releasing ceremony performed for the dead. Something doesn't seem quite right, and maybe if they discover what it is Gauge can be saved.
This is a story about a young boy’s grief and how he processes it. Without his grandpapa there to guide him, Gauge is lost and confused. He and Roux start to question all that they have been taught about what happens after death. As they learn more and more about the village’s practices regarding death they start to doubt everything they have been taught. And finally, when the truth is revealed Gauge and Roux must decide what they really do believe regarding the death of those they loved. This story takes a deep look at how people handle grief in different ways. There are many characters who are grieving and doing it in different ways. But ultimately, they all learn that to move on they must actually grieve for their loved ones. It was an interesting story about a theme everyone deals with at some point in their life.

I really enjoyed this story, primarily because of the Wolf narrator. The technique of telling the story from the Wolf’s POV but as omniscient was unique, clever, and crafty. It’s like we had a glimpse of what it might be like to be the Wolf, and like we were sharing an intimate secret with the narrator. Despite the obvious challenges of being the Wolf, I found myself sort of wanting to be in that role. She’s a sympathetic character. I anticipate this role-playing will spur good discussions in young readers too.

The topic of loss is addressed, and emotions shared. But, perhaps even more philosophical than that, I appreciate how this story promotes a critical, curious mind to question the rituals and traditions passed down in culture.

Besides that, this story was told with an eye to detail in the setting, the descriptions, the scents and sounds. I was fully immersed in the town and idiosyncrasies of Gatineau as a place different from my own, but similar enough with its sailing phrases that it seemed completely believable.

“The Wolf’s Curse” is an inquisitive tale, which J. Vitalis weaves into a masterpiece. Captivating the reader into a world similar to our own, she seamlessly conveys the reader though an interesting and witty perspective.

Gauge finds himself labeled as a “voyant”, shunned from all he knows; when his beloved grandpapá departs for The Sea-in-the-Sky. Losing a loved one is never easy, even when imminent. The recent void has Gauge questioning what he should do, who will protect him, and how to avoid death for being labeled a “voyant”?

“The Wolf’s Curse” is a tale of wonder, story of life and death, perceptions and traditions, a story of change, one of belief, and one of hope.

I thoroughly enjoyed J. Vitalis’s writing style and the ingenious analogies throughout. I am looking forward to see what she has in store for us next.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and Greenwillow Books for providing me an advance copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this story and leave my review voluntarily.

I throughly enjoyed this book! I only wished I could have listened to it on audiobook because I am absolutely positive my own kids would have adored this story! The potential for a full cast of voices and characters would bring this beautiful story to life. Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This fantastical tale of love, death, grief and the rituals we create to keep us tethered to life amid loss is wrapped up in an exciting adventure. Set in a wholly unique world, and told from a unique and very well executed POV, THE WOLF’S CURSE is a rich and heart affirming book. With multiple layers of meaning this is a story readers can come back to time and time again and keep finding new meaning and insight.
Highly recommend for upper Mg readers.

Thank you to Greenwillow/HarperCollins and NetGalley for the Arc

You would think a story narrated by a grim reaper type character would be depressing, especially after a year with so many deaths. But the author weaves a story full of wonder, and heart. Gauge's pursuit of peace for his grandfather explores the traditions created around death, that may ultimately be more for those left behind. A beautiful story beautifully told.