The Last Wolf by Rob Biddulph

This phenomenally gripping story is set in a recognisable community in which there is one stark difference from our own: each month on the full moon, the entire community must stay indoors in case of a werewolf attack, even though the last fully evidenced attack was more than 40 years ago.

With a nod to the experience of lockdowns, Biddulph shows what it’s like when fear is ramped up or exaggerated from a false or skewed occurrence. His main characters are highly relatable: twins, Jax and Jovi, one of whom has a ‘werewolf’ gene, and their two friends, Fourth and Esau, one of whom has a difficult home environment and another who needs a wheelchair to get around. Their friendship works in a dynamic way, with authentic dialogue and real camaraderie.

As well as the plot, which draws upon ideas such as how power corrupts, how fear-mongering works, and the importance of evidence-based science, Biddulph shows his understanding of the modern child reader, with immensely short, bite-sized chapters and phenomenal illustrations throughout. With a fast-paced story, good twists and a clever premise, this is quite rightly going to appeal to lots of readers. Highly recommended.