Will Wolfheart

What’s it about?

Will loves his dog, Whisker, and Whisker really loves him.  Will loves Whisker so much that he feels as if he’s not quite whole when he’s without him.   Which unfortunately is much of the time, as Will’s new flat doesn’t allow pets, so Whisker lives with Will’s grandma.  And you can’t talk to a dog on the phone. 

But suddenly, on Whisker’s first birthday, Will finds himself whisked away to another world, where Whisker has disappeared….and transformed into a wolf!   Not only that, but they can actually talk to each other.  This is just as well, as they’ve landed in Wolf World in the middle of a storm.  The skies are purple.  There’s thunder and lightning and huge, smoking gashes torn over the landscape.  And there’s other wolves all around – some friendly but some very much not…

This is a bit of a problem, as Whisker may look like a wolf, but he’s still very clearly a shambolic, silly dog inside.  Whilst Ember, the leader of Maple Pack wolves, is welcoming, there’s also Claw, who despises dogs, and simply wants to eat Will!   There’s also the menacing Flint Pack wolves, who want to steal Maple Pack’s den, and kill Ember.  And a girl called Clara, who doesn’t seem to have a wolf, like Will has Whisker.  She’s really angry and sad about something, but Will can’t figure out what.   

And Will’s full of worries of his own. Will the new Whisker-Wolf love him like Whisker-Dog?  How do you go about owning a wolf?  And how can a human boy ever simply stop feeling like dinner in Wolf World? 

There’s adventure and danger all around as Will and Whisker have to work together to save Maple Pack, mend Wolf World – and find their bond tested in ways they could never have imagined.   

What inspired you?

I’ve always felt a curiosity and bond with wolves – my first picture book was Very Little Red Riding Hood, where I loved the character of the Wolf, who starts off trying to be the classic Fairy Tale Wolf and eat Very Little Red Riding Hood…but (spoiler alert) ends up tickling her and looking after her.  I also have a new picture book coming out next spring, about a fox and a wolf.   Wolves seem to be very present in my imagination!

I think this is because I love the wildness of wolves, but I also love their sense of loyalty to their pack: that fierceness balanced with tenderness and care. There’s also lots of myths about the mystical qualities of wolves and their connection to the moon. I found out loads of information about wolves whilst I was writing Will Wolfheart, especially the way a wolf pack works as a team.  I even visited the wolf pack at Longleat Safari park – but frustratingly was not allowed to take one home…

I’m particularly fascinated by the connections between dogs and wolves.  Wolves are the ancestors of dogs, so is there an enduring link there?  Is there something wolf-like in dogs and dog-like in wolves?…

In both worlds, Will really misses Whisker when he’s not with him, and I also wanted to explore that feeling.  We all sometimes feel sad or alone.   I wanted to explore how Will copes with that, especially when Whisker changes into a wolf – does that make things feel better or worse?  How does he go about owning a wolf, who may not obey the same rules or feel the same things as a dog?  I also wanted to explore the similarities and differences between wolves and humans –  their packs and dens, their families and homes.  How they all make decisions, what’s important to them; how they cope when things are tough.  

This is my first children’s novel, and it’s so exciting.  Like Will, I feel like I’ve entered into another world.  I love writing picture books, and I’ll keep doing that, but having more words means I’ve been able to go into more depth: to explore battles and cliff-hangers; to go deeper into relationships, thoughts and feelings.  

Who’s the illustrator?

We’re lucky enough to have Adam Beer as the brilliant illustrator of Will Wolfheart, and he’s done such a fabulous job.  The individual personalities of all the wolves in the book shine through, from cute cubs to snarling villains.  He makes you laugh with – and ache for – Will and Clara throughout their journey.  And he’s brought Wolf World to sizzling life with its magical moons, its wild landscapes and glittering twilight.

When’s it out?

Will Wolfheart is published by David Fickling Books on 3 July. I can’t wait for you to read it.