Book Review: Wolf at the Window (kids, Scotland, wolves, veterinarian parents, holiday)

Wolf at the Window: A Ghostly Warning, by Ben Baglio (Scholastic, 133 pages, 2000, $3.99, grades 2-7, ages 7 and up) 

We have read and reviewed several* of author Ben Baglio's animal books for kids starring Mandy Hope, her best friend James, and her mom and dad, both veterinarians in  a small English village. Mandy loves animals and knows a lot about them: she seems to always find animals who need a home - or they find her - so she has her work cut out for her with James in on the adventures.

Wolf at the Window, however, is a bit different from the very beginning. It was not until we had finished reading that we discovered it is number 7 in the Animal Ark Hauntings series! But it's not that scary.

Holiday in Scotland

Mandy and her mom and dad are invited to Scotland one winter for a vacation (the Brits call vacations, holidays). They bring friend James along and stay in a cabin adjacent to a new wildlife park just in time for a huge gala at their friend's house.

But, the very first night Mandy looks up from the game they are playing in the living room of the cabin and sees an old wolf! The wolf suddenly disappears from sight and leaves no paw prints in the snow. 

This was only the beginning of strange things happening to Mandy: it takes her the whole book to figure things out and even then the reader is not convinced of what seems to have happened.

Along the way, we learn about Scottish history, music and dancing, and root for Mandy, James and their new friend against the bad guys. 

Read this book with a grain of salt, however, not only for the surreal happenings but also for Mandy's 'way with animals.'

Caveat: This book was purchased for review.

* Cub in the Cupboard  (number 8 in the original series) 

and Dog at the Door