A Wolf for a Spell
Published December 1st 2020 by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, Hardcover 320 pages
The Girl Who Drank the Moon meets Pax in this fantastical tale of a wolf who forms an unlikely alliance with Baba Yaga to save the forest from a wicked tsar.
Since she was a pup, Zima has been taught to fear humans—especially witches—but when her family is threatened, she has no choice but to seek help from the witch Baba Yaga.
Baba Yaga never does magic for free, but it just so happens that she needs a wolf’s keen nose for a secret plan she’s brewing… Before Zima knows what’s happening, the witch has cast a switching spell and run off into the woods, while Zima is left behind in Baba Yaga’s hut—and Baba Yaga’s body!
Meanwhile, a young village girl named Nadya is also seeking the witch’s help, and when she meets Zima (in Baba Yaga’s form), they discover that they face a common enemy. With danger closing in, Zima must unite the wolves, the witches and the villagers against an evil that threatens them all.
“Karah Sutton has crafted a vivid and rollicking adventure that proves a wolf doesn’t have to be big or bad to win the day!" —Rosanne Parry, New York Times bestselling author of A Wolf Called Wander
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
A Wolf for a Spell is a deliciously magical adventure involving wolves, witches, and villagers—all of whom must work together to defeat an evil tsar.
The story begins with Zima, a wolf who’s dealing with issues within her own pack. She’s always been told to fear humans, but she isn’t sure what to believe anymore. One thing Zima knows for sure is that it’s not safe to converse with witches, and she’s been given strict orders. After an unforeseen event, Zima is forced to communicate with the forest witch, Baba Yaga, and discovers there’s real danger on the horizon for all who live in the forest.
Concurrently, a young girl named Nadya from a nearby orphanage is puzzled about her friend, Katerina. Katerina has recently left their orphanage to marry, but something just isn’t right, and Nadya knows it. The mystery must be solved, and it’s going to be up to her and some other brave characters to put the pieces together and save their forest.
This is such a fascinating story; I could easily read it over and over. I love fairy tales and that’s exactly what this story feels like: a Russian fairy tale. There are multiple points of view throughout the story, and for the longest time I couldn’t figure out how these paths were going to converge. All the characters have something to learn and it comes together beautifully in the end. There are themes of friendship, trust, heroism, good vs. evil, and overcoming.
The illustrations were unexpected and added a nice touch. Even though they were quite simple—just black and white—they were perfect for the story.
Overall,
A Wolf for a Spell is a beautifully crafted tale that captivated me from beginning to finish. Middle-grade readers who love fantasy, especially Slavic fairy/folk tales, will fall in love with this book. Honestly, it’s a story for any age. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it, and I can’t wait to share it with my readers.
5*****
I’d like to thank NetGalley for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.
You can also see this review and others @www.readrantrockandroll.com
Rating: really liked it
9.00 on CAWPILE.
Rating: really liked it
Thank you everyone who has read, borrowed, bought, or shared A Wolf for a Spell! I hope it's a warm cozy read for readers young and old.
If you enjoyed it, I'd also be forever grateful if you would also share your review on Amazon. You aren't required to have purchased on Amazon in order to review.
Thank you, and happy reading!
[Updated Feb 28, 2021]
---
One week until WOLF is out in the world!! Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed so far. I would love for you all to join me and Gail Carson Levine (author of Ella Enchanted) in talking about the book on Dec 1, at 7pm ET: https://www.josephbeth.com/event/kara...
Also I will be chatting with Rediscovered Books on Dec 3 at 4:30pm MT! They have been huge supporters of WOLF, so I hope to have you there: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rediscov...
[Updated Nov 24, 2020]
---
Hi everyone! This book is like a window into my 11 year old brain and a love letter to the Russian fairytales, animals, and adventures I loved then and now. I hope you and your young ones enjoy, and thank you so much for reading.
[Posted Feb 7, 2020]
Rating: really liked it
I loved this book. I’m always nervous reading animal focused books(& I don’t pick up many), especially one’s like this w/wolves-since everything that’s happened w/my pup I just wouldn’t be able to handle anything sad w/wolves(animals). So happy I had nothing to worry about. Wolves are my favorite animal, & I’m so protective of them. So to see such a beautiful story of wolves & animals trying to find a way to live peacefully-loved it. Wolves are SO misunderstood..probably b/c how they are portrayed usually on tv & in some stories. Wolves are rarely aggressive towards people. When around people, wolves are actually timid & shy. They need our protection against idiots who hunt & kill them. So I instantly fell in love w/all of these wolves. I loved Zima so much, & everything she does. I think Veter has my heart though. Along w/Nadya, who I could relate w/a lot. I also loved the Baba Yaga/House w/Chicken Legs/Russian folklore of the story. Russian folklore is always so fascinating to me. In the author’s note, she says that 1 that heavily inspired this story is Tsarevich Ivan, the firebird, & the Gray Wolf-so definitely looking that 1 up. She also, I just noticed, says something similar to what I said above about wolves. Makes me love this book even more, & want to support her as an author even more. I highly recommend this. It’s a magical adventure that has wolves, Baba Yaga w/a house w/chicken legs, & villagers who all have to come together to defeat the evil that wants to destroy the forest forever. I can see this being a classic fairytale 1 day-that’s exactly how it reads. A beautiful fairytale w/so much heart. Absolutely FULL of stunning illustrations throughout by Pauliina Hannuniemi to go w/the beautiful cover. LOVED THIS!💜
Rating: really liked it
This is everything I love. Polar, magical, animals and slavic folklore. To me this is perfection! 💙❄️
Rating: really liked it
This book has Baba Yaga, a talking raven, talking wolves, body-swapping, and groups who distrust each other coming together to overthrow the man, so basically all the things I love. It's like The Bear and the Nightingale's sassy, earnest baby sister. Also I appreciate the message that if a man tells you he'll solve all your problems by taking away your power, you should NOT marry him because he will drain your life force.
Rating: really liked it
*** Note: I received e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to PRHGlobal for free copy. ***
A Wolf for a Spell was great middle grade fantasy based on Russian folklore that revolved around a wolf-Zima, a human-Nadya, and a witch-Baba Yaga. It was about facing fears and not let it overpower you, doing right things, it’s okay to be different, friendship, belongingness, family, trust, and good vs evil.
Plot was interesting. It had Red Riding Hood feel. All three main female characters were flawed, realistic, and relatable and they all developed wonderfully throughout the story. They all were my favourite but I loved Zima and Nadya’s story more.
World was fascinating with witches, animals and villagers all living in and around the magical forest. I enjoyed reading how the forest seemed all consuming and dangerous with deadly streams, poisonous plants, and hidden dark holes to caves in ground that could trap anyone for days and yet it helped everybody living in and around it, gave power and protection to all creatures. Baba Yaga’s loyal egoistic hut was fun to read. Snow storms, evil villain and forbidding palace and its corridors added tension to story. Despite of this dark world it never felt heavy and gloomy as characters were not affected or harmed by it which made it perfect for middle grade readers.
Overall, A Wolf for a Spell magical, beautiful, imaginative, and well written fantasy based on Russian folklore with classic good vs evil theme and perfect middle grade and young readers.
Read full review on my book blog by following the link- https://booksteacupreviews.com/2021/0...
Rating: really liked it
Zima is a wolf that has always been taught to fear Baba Yaga - the witch in the forest. But, when Zima's brother is gravely injured and may die, Zima must take him to Baba Yaga as her magic is all that may save him. The wolf and the witch then strike a bargain that will have mutual benefits.
This is a lovely fairy tale of which I was unfamiliar. I love Sutton's notes in the back on Baba Yaga in various iterations.
Rating: really liked it
Thank you to NetGalley, Karah Sutton (author), Pauliina Hannuniemi (illustrator), Random House Children's, and Knopf Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read A Wolf for a Spell in exchange for an honest review.
This book is full of Russian lore, mythology, and fairy tale elements. It almost has a "Little Red Riding Hood" feel to it in the beginning, as wolf Zima sees a girl with a red hood in the forest and chooses not to kill her, despite what Zima's pack leader orders.
Nadya, the girl with the red hood, lives at an orphanage in a nearby village. An older orphan girl that Nadya looks up to as a sister is being taken by the tsar to be wed. Nadya is hoping to be a good girl, to stay away from the forest so she can prove herself and join Katerina at the palace. When Katerina is taken, Nadya decides to visit Baba Yaga, a witch who lives in the forest, to get a gift to take to the tsar so she will be accepted.
Meanwhile, Baba Yaga made a terrible mistake with the tsars of the past and needs to fix it before it is too late. The current tsar is not the true heir, and he has some shady plans in the works when it comes to Katerina and Baba Yaga. In order for Baba Yaga to fix her mistake, she must switch bodies with a wolf, and Zima just happens to need help, thus offering herself for exchange.
Zima knows nothing of being human. When Nadya seeks Baba Yaga's help, she has no clue that the Baba Yaga she sees is actually a wolf inside the witch's body! Despite not knowing how she can help, Zima, in Baba Yaga's body, offers to help Nadya if Nadya can promise to call off the big wedding hunt the tsar has planned.
Zima must unite the forest witch, the wolves, and the people of the villages to bring light and happiness back to the land.
This is a very cute story that is easy to read and full of fairy tale magic. It is perfect for middle grade readers, but can be enjoyed by high school age, as well as adults who just need a touch of whimsy in their day. I enjoyed the magical feel of this book, the bit of nostalgia it brings to known fairy tales, and the way it provides its own new fairy tale to tell.
Rating: really liked it
I received this as an advance copy via NetGalley.
A Wolf for a Spell spins Russian folklore around Baba Yaga into a fun new middle grade book. It follows a number of strong characters: Zima, a young wolf desperate for respect from her pack; Nadya, a young orphan who is sad her dear friend is marrying the tsar and yearns for a family of her own; and Baba Yaga, the magic-wielding old woman who is trying to save the woods before all is lost.
Zima strikes a deal the Baba Yaga, and the two end up switching bodies. Nadya goes to find Baba Yaga for help, and ends up working with the changed-wolf to confront the tsar and save the woods.
This is a tale with lots of twists and turns. I found it pretty fun, though the number of names left me confused at times. The tsar also came across as a very one-note bad guy; I wish he’d had more nuance. Still, a fun read, and a good way to introduce kids to Baba Yaga and her delightful chicken-footed house.
Rating: really liked it
Such a sweet read. Review to come.
Rating: really liked it
Charming little book that managed to balance 3 povs which kept a nice little tension simmering until all the threads come together nicely. Lovely message about caring for nature, for others and for self. Also Baba Yaga’s hut has chicken legs that make the hut move. I really want one of those!
Rating: really liked it
"Of all the evils in the world, the greatest was the temptation of the easy path over the right one." (p.230).
"Was this how humans acted all the time? Zima tried to imagine a world where she only did things for others when they gave her something, and we're she was only worried about what was best for herself instead of her pack. It left a foul taste on her tongue." (p.101)
Rating: really liked it
This was a lot of fun! I really loved the folklore and Russian mythology incorporated in the story and I think that was my favorite part. I loved the atmosphere and I think that having an animal as a main character was really interesting. My main problem was following the plot. The plot took a while to kick off and be clear and once it got going it was a bit hard to follow. I also thought that because two of the characters switched bodies at some point in this book it was hard to determine who was who. There is a difference at the beginning of the chapters but because they are referred to as who they are and not their body I got confused a lot.
Rating: really liked it
I am not a big reader of middle grade, but I decided to give this one a try mostly because it’s a retelling of Baba Yaga, a character from Slavic folklore. For those who don’t know me, I come from Romania, which is between a bunch of East European Slavic countries so we do share part of those myths and legends.
I haven’t grown up with stories of Baba Yaga, mostly because my Grandma had her own original stories, that she knew from her grandma and so on. But this book made me go back to those cold winters when I would sneak with my little brother in her room and she will start telling us fantastic stories half asleep after a day of hard work.
The characters are completely amazing and well written, I enjoyed, in particular, Zima’s POV in Baba Yaga’s body and that somehow it gave me exactly the feeling of a wolf experiencing the human world for the first time.
Baba Yaga personifies here one of my favorite tropes, the morally grey character, who’s done some bad, looking to fix it, and you are not sure if you should root from them or not.
I do really have trouble finding any kind of faults to this story, while I had a hard time at the beginning with Zima’s POV, and the fact that you are thrown right into it doesn’t help a bit after I got used to it the story had an amazing flow.
I honesty was caught up completely, this book has that timeless placeless feeling that fairytales usually have. It does also has a very straightforward plot common to the genre, where the good always triumphs at the end. This was not a problem for me, as I expected it, and is honestly part of the charm with fairytales.
In the end, this was a very enjoyable read, and will probably recommend this in the future to middle-grade kids and adults alike.
