Sisters of the Wolf

July 15, 2021
Two prehistoric girls from different clans must band together to escape a common enemy. Shinoni, an early modern human, or Cro-Magnon, and Keena, a Neanderthal, both 13, are separated from their respective clans by a ruthless Neanderthal hunter. Recognizing that their only chance at survival lies in each other, they reluctantly join forces to hatch an escape plan. On their own in the wilderness, they must use their wits and knowledge learned from their people to evade the dangers of the Ice Age landscape, from natural predators who cross their paths, like lions and hyenas, to other humans and the perilous landscape itself. Initially hesitant to trust one another and quick to insult each other's cultural ways as inferior, the girls nevertheless form a bond. They are joined on their journey by a wolf who accepts them as a member of her pack and whom Shinoni names Tewa. The action in this fast-paced survival story moves quickly as the girls come across one fearful predator and pitfall after another, and the novel is sure to pique an interest in prehistoric people and places. Unfortunately, at times the dialogue borders on caricature; the characters use turns of phrase to signal that they live in a different time, yet overall their speech patterns follow those of modern teenagers. This survival tale set in the Ice Age will be an unusual draw for adventure fans. (cast of characters, author's note) (Historical adventure. 12-15)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2021

Gr 9 Up-Two young women, Keena, a Neanderthal, and Shinoni, a Cro-Magnon, struggle to survive in Ice Age Europe 40,000 years ago. Miller-Schroeder uses her graduate degree in biological anthropology to create a vivid and believable world that showcases the idea that family does not have to be limited to certain cultures, races, or even species. When a group of Neanderthal hunters, led by Haakan, attacks and kills Shinoni's tribe and captures Shinoni, Haakan brings her back to his camp where she meets Keena, who was given to Haakan as a peace offering by her tribe. When the girls escape from Haakan and his hunters, they decide to attempt a return to Keena's family across glaciers filled with hostile predators. One predator, a silver gray she-wolf, befriends the two girls and shadows the them in their travels, and eventually, is given the name of Tewa. The relationship between Keena and Shinoni grows during their travels as they encounter Ice Age flora and fauna, other tribes of Cro-Magnon and Neanderthals, and the continual threat from Haakan. With two strong female protagonists, Miller-Schroeder has created an enthralling glimpse into a long-vanished world that keeps readers engaged from the first page. VERDICT Recommended for all adventure fans.-Susan Catlett, Green Run H.S., Virginia Beach

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.