The Mad Wolf's Daughter

A New York Times Editors’ Choice
Kids’ IndieNext List pick
2019 ALSC Children’s Notable List selection
A CCBC Choices List Pick
A Maine Library Association Lupine Award winner
A Maine Student Book Award Nominee  
A Kentucky Bluegrass Awards Master List Pick, Grades 3-5
A Utah Beehive Book Award Nominee

“[I]t’s clear we’re in the hands of a master storyteller. ‘The Mad Wolf’s Daughter’ feels like an instant classic.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Empathetic, bold, and entirely herself at a time when women were dismissed as weak, Drest shines in this fast-paced adventure.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Drest is a wonderfully fierce and feisty heroine, able and quick of wit, and she is joined by other sympathetic and complex characters. . . . The plot is packed with twists and turns, and the ending leaves enough to suggest a sequel.”—Booklist

“A gripping adventure with a marvelous heroine—I can’t wait to read more!”— Catherine Gilbert Murdock, Newbery-honor author of The Book of Boy

“Action-packed at every turn.”—Kirkus Reviews

“I loved it. A heart-warming and heart-pounding adventure, chockablock with mysteries and deceptions, dangers and disasters. Ultimately a tale of friendship, loyalty, and the illusive nature of truth, The Mad Wolf’s Daughter will carry you away.”—Karen Cushman, Newbery Medalist

Mad Wolf’s Daughter pulled me in, and I felt delighted and taken care of. Go, Drest!”—Kristin Cashore, New York Times bestselling author of the Graceling Realm books and Jane, Unlimited

“Drest is a likable and headstrong character, and the composite of various regions in Scotland will appeal to tweens who appreciate atmospheric woodsy settings. Readers will learn, along with Drest, about feudal village life, contemporaneous attitudes toward gender, and the relationship between truth and legend. . . . Drest’s embrace of unlikely friendships and a new code of honor are well done. A solid quest story for tweens with an interest in the Picts and medieval Scotland.”—School Library Journal


“A great story elevates all its constituent parts. Sure, it’s true that The Mad Wolf’s Daughter is a middle grade fantasy with feminist elements, a strong young heroine, an informed exploration of relevant social issues, and the transposition of established gender roles, but it is the book’s great storytelling that makes all its components shine. This swashbuckling tale of rescue, irregular chivalry, and self-discovery is richly set in an authentic medieval Scotland. . . . The well-balanced complexities of the story, along with the building drama and tension, make for a truly stirring climactic scene, which both ties up this first volume neatly but leaves the reader eager for book two. This is a middle grade fantasy which every children’s bookseller should be on a quest to liberate from store shelves and afford it escape into customers’ hands.”—Kenny Brechner, Devaney Doak & Garrett Booksellers