SISTERS OF THE WOLF

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.