She Wolf is a fierce and stoic story about a young girl named Ylva who is determined to hunt down, and exact revenge upon, the three-fingered brute who killed her mother. This pursuit takes Ylva into the cold, snow-covered wilderness with few possessions to keep herself warm, fed or even armed. Ylva’s greatest strength is her fearless warrior soul, to which she credits her Viking heritage, and her loyal dog, who offers wise counsel that only she can understand.

Blinded by her stubborn resolve to avenge her mother’s death, Ylva distrusts everyone and confuses the motivations of those who seek to help her with those who would do her harm. Ylva is a wild and unpredictable character and the reader may find her temperamental nature difficult to understand, but her courage is never in doubt and one can only marvel at her tenacity as she throws herself into danger and risks everything to fulfil her destiny. Ylva’s heroic quest is but one part of this story, as this is also a story about the Vikings. It’s a compelling read with a fearless and plucky heroine at its helm. For ages 9+.

Natalie Platten is the assistant manager and children’s book buyer at Readings Doncaster.