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K-3
First-day-of-school anxiety and the fear of not fitting in take a hair-raising twist when aspiring werewolf Sophie begins howlergarten. Sophie wants "to be part of a pack" but worries she'll never grow fangs or a bushy tail like her werewolf parents. As she struggles through "furry fun were-activities," humorously depicted in Shum's comic-style illustrations, Sophie discovers that being in a wolf pack runs deeper than fur. While Sophie's desire for community will resonate with all readers, Shum uses the werewolf theme to subtly subvert ideas of which identities and social behaviors equal acceptance, imagining a world where everybody has a pack.
Reviewer:
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2023