I am so grateful to the American Booksellers Association, who have named A Wolf for a Spell as one of their Indies Introduce titles for Summer/Fall 2020!

To be one of the five middle grade novels named is a huge honor, and as a former bookseller this is one that I will treasure. I haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading the other novels named, but I am so grateful for the chance to be named alongside them, and I can’t wait to celebrate their publication days soon!

See below for some of the lovely blurbs from booksellers on the committee:

“A Wolf for a Spell is a beautiful fairytale of a novel. Baba Yaga is on a mission to save her forest and enlists the help of a wolf named Zima and a rebellious orphan named Nadya. As in any story involving Baba Yaga, there are tricks and magic around every corner. The writing is lush and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. This is a truly exceptional middle grade novel. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone!” – Chelsea Bauer, Union Avenue Books (Knoxville, TN)

“A Wolf for a Spell is an enchanting and immediately moving new story. It reads like mixture of classic parts of the Baba Yaga tale and a spellbinding new voice including some new wild magical animal perspectives. The book comes to life in its rollicking plot and vivid details. Whether they are good or bad, the wolves in this bewildering story have their own abilities and can change their fate! To learn how the wolves and Baba Yaga and their powers collide, read A Wolf for a Spell!!” – Drew Durham, Books Inc. Palo Alto (Palo Alto, CA)

“In this new and imaginative twist on the Baba Yaga story, young wolf Zima fears for her pack’s future as human encroachment threatens their existence. When the tsar announces his plan to destroy the wolves, Zima switches bodies with the old witch Baba Yaga in exchange for help. Meanwhile, in a village at the edge of the forest, a young girl named Nadya is also looking for Baba Yaga. When she meets Zima in Baba Yaga’s form, they discover they have an enemy in common. As the threat to the forest and the wolves gets ever closer, Zima must unite the wolves, the other witches, and the villagers against the tsar’s wickedness. New friends are made, evil is battled with good, and a new Baba Yaga will rise.” – Lauren Nopenz Fairley, Curious Iguana (Frederick, MD)  

“Wolves, tsars, and witches… oh my! I loved this fabulous story, with all the different points of view, the wonderful illustrations, and the magical writing. I love the wolf’s point of view and I love everything Baba Yaga! I wanted to live in the forest with these wondrous creatures!” – Rebecca Crosswhite, Rediscovered Books (Boise, ID)