Wolf Hollow

The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association to recognize “the most distinguished contribution to American literature for Children.”  Therefore, many libraries in the United States maintain a collection of Newbery medal and Newbery honor books as a touchstone of literary excellence.  Some Newbery books have become popular classics; for example, On the Banks of Plum Creek (a 1938 honor book), while others are largely forgotten.  Ever heard of America is Born: a History for Peter (a 1960 honor book)?

 

Wolf Hollow is one of those Newbery books that won’t fade into obscurity anytime soon.  The setting is rural 1940s Pennsylvania, and 12-year-old Annabelle is just becoming 

aware that dark undercurrents of fear and suspicion flow beneath her seemingly bucolic community.   Still, she’s shocked when a bully begins terrorizing her, and a schoolyard incident blows up into a situation with life-threatening consequences.

 

There’s stark beauty in the way this novel treats moral issues.  It is unflinchingly honest about the ethical dilemmas and emotional trauma Annabelle and other characters must deal with, and refrains from offering a redemptive narrative arc for a key character who seems completely unredeemable. 

 

This is a rich piece of historical fiction that would be a fine choice for book discussion groups.