Hunting—the predator and its prey—is at the heart of this riveting and suspenseful novel from Newbery Medalist Avi with illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Brian Floca.

In the computer game world of Bow Hunter—thirteen-year-old Casey’s world—there are no deaths, just kills. In Nashoba’s world—the wolf world—there have been no kills. For this is March, the Starving Time in the Iron Mountain region of Colorado, when wolves and ravens alike are desperate for food.

With the help of a raven, the miraculous Merla, Nashoba must lead his pack of eight to their next meal. The wolf hates being dependent on a mere bird, but Merla is a bird wise beyond her years.

When Casey’s path crosses Nashoba’s, the worlds of two very different hunters collide.

Excerpt

Old Wolf 1
IT WAS THE STARVING TIME.

Not the end of winter. Not the start of spring. Not cold. Not hot. Daylight and nightdark were almost equal. Mud lay here and snow lay there. It was as if Earth herself could not decide between life and death.

About The Author

Photograph by Katherine Warde

Avi

Avi is the author of more than seventy books for children and young adults, including the 2003 Newbery medal winner Crispin: The Cross of Lead. He has won two Newbery Honors and many other awards for his fiction. He lives with his family in Denver, Colorado. Visit him at Avi-Writer.com.

About The Illustrator

Brian Floca

Brian Floca is the author and illustrator of the acclaimed picture books Locomotive, winner of the Caldecott Medal and a New York Times bestseller; Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11; and Lightship, each a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book. He is the illustrator of numerous additional books, including Avi’s Poppy series. You can visit him online at BrianFloca.com.

Product Details

Publisher: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books (August 4, 2015)
Length: 160 pages
ISBN13: 9781442499218
Ages: 8 - 12
Lexile ® 630L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Raves and Reviews

"...a fine tale that will benefit from being sifted for all its meanings." -Kirkus Reviews

"Fast paced and exciting, this accessible novel will appeal to those who enjoy adventure stories." - School Library Journal

"...this is likely to appeal to fans of Gary Paulsen and Will Hobbs." -Booklist

"Avi switches

perspective between Nashoba and Casey, building the tension and raising a multitude

of questions in this thought-provoking allegory. Should the head of the food

chain kill for sport? And, is that killing really sport? Naturalistic black-and-white

pencil illustrations by Floca (who also illustrated Avi’s Poppy books) enhance the

classic-feeling tale." -Horn Book Magazine