I'm ready for a little humor, and today's read should slide in a funnier direction. It's a lighter read for younger readers, who are pretty sure of their words but need more practice before diving into thicker tales. It was the title on this one which caught my attention. I'm assuming that the boy on the cover is either a werewolf or dreams of being one. Either way, I'm expecting some silly situations, a little awkwardness, a touch of adventure....well, you know me! I always have my expectations set high.
So, let's get ready to howl and open this one up.
WEREWOLVES DON'T KEEP DIARIES
by Suzanne Sutherland
Illustrated by Dharmali Patel
Orca Book Publishers
Children's Fantasy
96 pages
ages 6 to 8
COMING MARCH 17th!!!
Lou Chandra-Pine is tired of being teased by his older brothers and getting lectured for what his parents call "bad choices."
When his birthday comes and all he gets is a dusty old book and a card with his name spelled wrong, Lou makes a secret wish as he blows out his birthday to be a huge beast. That way, his family would treat him with more respect.
Soon afterwards, though, his body starts doing weird things—like growing hair on his feet, sprouting extra-sharp fingernails and craving foods like raw steak. Could it be his careless wish coming true? Tired of hiding all these strange changes, and worried he might actually be dangerous, Lou decides to run away. But, with the help of a surprising ally, Lou finally discovers that he belongs in his family pack after all.
When his birthday comes and all he gets is a dusty old book and a card with his name spelled wrong, Lou makes a secret wish as he blows out his birthday to be a huge beast. That way, his family would treat him with more respect.
Soon afterwards, though, his body starts doing weird things—like growing hair on his feet, sprouting extra-sharp fingernails and craving foods like raw steak. Could it be his careless wish coming true? Tired of hiding all these strange changes, and worried he might actually be dangerous, Lou decides to run away. But, with the help of a surprising ally, Lou finally discovers that he belongs in his family pack after all.
MY TIDBITS
A family with slightly odd quirks is hard to steer for a boy, who doesn't feel like they really understand him.
Lou is the youngest of three brothers and bears all of the teasing and jokes. He's sick of it, but every time he thinks he can pay his brothers back, things go wrong. Instead, he finds himself being blamed for almost everything. His parents scold him a lot about his 'bad choices' but don't seem to understand that most aren't his choices at all. When they claim they have a huge surprise for him on his birthday, all sorts of amazing gifts run through his mind. Instead, he receives an old book, and his parents keep nagging him to read it. Yep, actually read a book. But he's got other problems. Big ones. And he doesn't have anyone who would ever understand.
Lou is an average kid trying to deal with a not-always-so-average life. His family quirks are weird but not completely ridiculous as they offer a home to bats in their attic. (This might sound weird, but when we lived in Germany, they had a push for this sort of thing due to declining bat populations). Lou does have a tendency to cause trouble, but it's very fitting for most kids at that age. It's easy to sympathize with him, since many events aren't really his fault. His brothers also offer familiar sibling dynamics with tons of irritation but underlying support and care, too. And while the parents do seem to ignore facts, at times, there's more to the picture than Lou is aware. So, the family relationships are familiar and golden. Add the humorous situations and surprises, and it's a fun adventure.
The text fits readers, who are sure of their words and are almost ready to head into 'bigger' reads. The story stays light on details, letting the action, dialogue, and situations propel the plot forward, which keeps boredom away. The illustrations add zest and enjoyment, too. While the title is what grabbed my interest in the first place, it also, unfortunately, makes it clear what's happening when things start going strange for Lou. Any mystery and Lou's surprise is killed by this. Luckily, the story is still fun, and Lou is a great character. Also, the ending hits pretty quick but did carry a huge surprise to add a last blast of suspense.
It's a fun read with lots to enjoy and not just for werewolf fans.
And here they are...
Suzanne Sutherland is the author of a number of books for young people, including the Jordan and Max series. Jordan and Max, Field Trip! was named a Children's Book Council Librarian Favorite and a CCBC Best Book for Kids & Teens. Suzanne lives in Toronto with her family.
Dharmali Patel spends her days creating illustrations for different publications and working as an animation director, designer and concept artist for various animated series. In her 18-year career she has worked in the roles of art director, visual development artist and published children's book illustrator. Dharmali lives in Toronto.
1 comment:
This review does a wonderful job of capturing why Werewolves Don’t Keep Diaries works so well for its intended age group. Lou feels like a very relatable character, especially for younger readers who are navigating sibling teasing, misunderstandings, and that desire to be taken seriously. I also appreciated how you highlighted the balance between humor and family dynamics, which makes the story feel warm rather than just silly. Books like this often become favorites because they’re easy to read yet emotionally reassuring. Stories about transformations and identity always resonate, whether in children’s books or even in entertainment we enjoy later in life, like fantasy films you might stream on sites such as family fantasy movies. Thanks for such a thoughtful and enjoyable breakdown of this fun read.
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