The Devouring Wolf

June 1, 2022
When the Devouring Wolf, a vengeful monster of legend, breaks free from his secret prison, five tenderfoot pups in Kansas band together to save their pack. Like every young werewolf, Riley Callahan awaits the first full moon of summer with anticipation. As a 12-year-old, she's guaranteed to transform this year and find her prime pack, the four other wolves who are linked to her for life by magic. She dreams of following in the footsteps of her Mama C to become a great leader of their community. However, when Riley and four other tenderfoot pups remain stuck in human form, it's clear that something has gone wrong and their entire pack might be in danger. At first, Riley battles insecurity, but as the fast-paced story unravels, she develops a deeper understanding of herself along with greater empathy and trust in others. Diary entries between chapters connect the past to the present conflict. Queer and trans representation flourishes in Riley's werewolf community, including Riley's moms, her transgender older sister, her nonbinary pack mate, and Riley herself, who awakens to feelings for her pack mate Lydia, who was raised by her uncles. Apart from Riley's biracial cousin, whose dad is Black, and a pack mate who is cued as Latinx, most characters read as White. Unresolved mysteries will leave readers hungering for a sequel. Champion's atmospheric black-and-white illustrations add to the suspense. An easily devoured, chilling, and suspenseful adventure. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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October 3, 2022
On the night of the Full Moon Rite, white-cued Riley Callahan is ready to “finally, finally become a werewolf,” make her werewolf moms proud, and meet her prime pack—five wolves linked by magic “who would trust and support you for the rest of your life.” But when the ceremony takes place, Riley and four other 12-year-olds in the community don’t shift, suggesting that something’s gone awry. With the safety of the pack in question, Riley and her companions attempt to solve a generations-old mystery around the mythical Devouring Wolf, rumored to consume young werewolves’ magic. The pack must learn patience, teamwork, and to trust one another, things Riley struggles to navigate alongside her disappointment around being “wolfless,” butting heads with her parents, and coming into her own queer identity. This character-driven duology opener from Parker (the Seafire trilogy) centers an intersectionally inclusive werewolf community that has built traditions around supporting its youngest members. Pressing third-person narration, interspersed with revelatory diary entries unearthing the pack’s past, portrays a complex magical world with plenty to be revealed. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: Lara Perkins, Andrea Brown Literary.