"[An] innovative series opener […] The woodwalkers’ animalian forms lend a mystical air to quotidian middle school challenges involving bullies and friendship, and Carls’s hyper-realistic grayscale puma illustrations, featured throughout, ground Brandis’s fantastical storytelling."

Publishers Weekly

"Carag’s Transformation is an entertaining fantasy novel in which a boy with supernatural gifts navigates self-discovery and makes friends in a new school […] Carag is a shapeshifter, or a woodwalker, who lives as a puma with his family outside of Jackson Hole. At eleven, he becomes fascinated with humans and decides to live on his own as one. Carag meets another woodwalker, Lissa, who tells him about a boarding school for woodwalker children. The book’s beautiful illustrations capture the strength and grace of Carag’s puma form, with images that are sometimes no more than a swishing tail or a paw print. And the many other woodwalkers whom Carag meets form a vibrant cast. Each incorporates animal traits into their human personality: a shy boy who’s afraid of his strength transforms into a bison; a friendly girl becomes a pine squirrel who’s prone to stealing. There are also unfriendly woodwalkers in the book, though, including a bullying pack of wolves."

Foreword Reviews

"I really loved these adaption. And what can I say? I still love them. […] For childrens books they have some rather deep themes, but packaged in a fun story with a very lovable set of characters. These books are great for teaching kids to respect and appreciate nature." 

Storygraph Reviewer 

"This German import’s descriptions of life in animal form are buoyant and full of adventure—getting up to full speed as a puma or finally feeling comfortable taking up (considerable) space as a bison are reminiscent of all the fun of Animorphs. Some key plot points only come into play depending on what the story needs, but those elements may be smoothed out in the proposed future volumes. With a cool shapeshifting premise and a cast of impulsive, determined teens, there’s plenty to recommend here."

April Spisak, Project Muse