Grade: AWe love this book! Chandler has crafted a YA novel that achieves the perfect balance between humor, blooming relationships, and a highly charged conservational debate. Weird combo, we know and we just can't figure out how she managed to make it all work together so well. It's no surprise that this book has been chosen for the 2012 English Quest competition as well as a host of YA literature awards.
The story follows 16 year old KJ Carson who lives with her father just outside of Yellowstone Park. A bit of a loner, KJ signs up as a reporter for her school newspaper. While on staff she be-friends the new guy, Virgil Whitman, and they team up to write a column called "Wolf Notes." The reports describe the activities of local wolf packs living in the park and it doesn't take long for tempers to re-ignite the debate of whether or not the wolves should have been re-introduced. The town finds itself divided yet again between the conservationists and the ranchers and when things turn really ugly, KJ finds herself at the center of the conflict.
With many unfortunate similarities to actual outcomes of public debates, it is our hope that this thought-provoking read will inspire much discussion on what civil discourse really looks like and how it can be properly used. We'd love to hear your opinions on this one.
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