Review: Swear Wolves by Steve Worland

With a title like Swearwolves how could I possibly resist this new middle grade novel by Aussie author Steve Worland? Who cares if I'm a grown adult. I loved the idea of this, of a pre-teen girl who, after she moves to a new town, is bitten by a pack of wolves and then she finds herself completely unable to stop swearing. The concept is hilarious, original and just full of mischief. And comes complete with the tagline The book your parents probably don't want you to read. (This is, of course, something of a contrast to Steve Worland's previous novel Paper Planes an equally fantastic novel, but the kind of thing that parents and grandparents would very lovingly buy for their children.)

This was a fun read. I enjoyed the twist on the plot of a the lonely new kid in town who finds her pack in the most unexpected of ways. When the novel opens, we meet Luna Wilkinson as a fairly typical kid. She's new in town, lonely and extremely keen to get a part in the school play where, she hopes, she will impress the other kids (especially a particular group of girls) with her acting credentials. That all goes awry when she finds herself in the dark and shadowy woods by her house ... and bitten by a swearwolf. Unable to stop swearing she must find a unique solution to her problems, which leads her to find a friend in the librarians son, and to discover that the girls she wants to impress may not be the friends that she was hoping for. But with ingenuity and courage, things work out all right in the end. 

Swearwolves has an enjoyable and unique plot, and is pure fun readers young and old. Parents can relax knowing that the novel contains no actual swearing, and I loved the way the author and publisher had fun with that. Kids will no doubt find this one a lot of fun. 

Highly recommended. 


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