CCBC Booklists

CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.

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Don't Call the Wolf

by Aleksandra Ross

CCBC Review:

Orphaned Ren, a girl who can transform into a lynx, is known as queen of the forest where she lives. Her lynx brother Rys and wolf friend Czarn are her closest companions. Lukasz is the last of the Wolf-Lords, the youngest of 10 human brothers revered for killing dragons and other monsters. While Ren seeks to save her forest from evil creatures that seem tied to the appearance of the Golden Dragon, Lukasz is searching for the last of his brothers, all of who set off to slay the Golden Dragon only to never return. After a dramatic meeting, Ren and Lukasz join forces with soldier Kozmar, scholar Jakob, an Unnaturalist who studies magical creatures, and Felka, Jakob’s friend, to hunt the Golden Dragon in her lair. The seven traveling companions, all white, are locked in an uneasy truce; all have secrets in their past, some unknown even to themselves, all are struggling with their own questions and choices, and trust issues abound even as there is an obvious, growing attraction between Ren and Lukasz. Alternating chapters follow the group on its quest and tell the story of what happened to Lukasz and his brothers after they fled their home following a devastating dragon attack a decade before. This rich and riveting fantasy is a complex, original story drawing from Eastern European/Polish folklore and its legends of dragons and monsters and mythical beasts … oh my! ©2021 Cooperative Children’s Book Center

CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 12 and older
Age Range: Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13) Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format: Novel
Subjects: Animals (Fiction) Fantasy Folk and Fairy Tales Journeys and Quests Love and Romance Perspective/Point of View Secrets

On CCBC Booklist: Fantastic Fiction: Great Fantasy Books for Ages 11 to 17

Publishers: HarperCollins, HarperTeen
Publish Year: 2020
Pages: 504
ISBN: 9780062877970
CCBC Location: Fiction, Ross

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.

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