Garcia spins a mesmerizing coming-of-age fantasy with The Valley of the Wolves. Dana is a young outcast in her isolated farm community when she meets a young boy named Kai. They become quick friends, soon spending all of their time together. Dana moves farther and farther away from the normal society of young girls as she and Kai become closer, and she realizes that she is the only one who can see him, until she meets a stranger passing through town. The stranger persuades her family to allow Dana to leave with him to learn magic, and she is whisked away to a castle in a valley even more isolated than the community she grew up in. As Dana grows and learns, she confronts the mystery of Kai’s existence, the strangly aggressive wolves in the valley, and her confidence in her sense of rght and wrong and her ability to think for herself.
The Valley of the Wolves is aimed at children 9-12 years old, however as a tale of redemption, love, and hope it is appropriate for all ages. Garcia wrenches conflicting emotions from the reader masterfully - as in other similarly heartbreaking and hopeful children’s books like Charlotte’s Web or Where the Red Fern Grows. This book is a perfect gift for the child who enjoys Harry Potter and similar titles – it’s a bit deeper, a bit sadder, but a whole lot more satisfying*.
*The author of this post is not in any way suggesting that she dislikes the Harry Potter books, or that she doesn’t read them the day they come out in one sitting in a chair in the kitchen between the fridge and the coffeepot. The author is merely stating that she likes THIS novel in a different way than the Harry Potter novels. Which she likes. Differently.
