The Last Wolf of Ireland...

...broke my heart. It was the Middle School Book Club selection for this month, and it was so sad. At first glance, it seems deceptively simple; a story about a boy and his friends trying to save the last wolf of Ireland. However, this was so much more. Some of the descriptions of what happened to the wolves were graphic and brutal, but not gratuitous, they were just very real and heartbreaking. This book makes me want to do more research about the wolves in Ireland, and see if it's true, that they were all driven out. The author, Elona Malterre also gives a realistic portrayal of what life was like when Ireland was under English rule (the setting of this book was in Northern Ireland in 1786). It was interesting to learn that the English didn't want children in Ireland to go to school, and Catholic services were banned. It was a very tough time for the people of Northern Ireland. While this book is Historical Fiction, it certainly has a ring of truth to it and should inspire readers to do more research on the history of both the people and wolves of Ireland.