The Wolf's Curse by Vitalis

Shunned by his fearful town, a twelve-year-old apprentice embarks on a surprising quest to clear his name, with a mythic—and dangerous—wolf following closely at his heels. Jessica Vitalis’s debut is a gorgeous, voice-driven literary fantasy about family, fate, and long-held traditions. Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books calls The Wolf’s Curse an “extraordinary fantasy.” The Wolf’s Curse will engross readers of The Girl Who Drank the Moon and A Wish in the Dark.

Gauge’s life has been cursed since the day he cried Wolf and was accused of witchcraft. The Great White Wolf brings only death, Gauge’s superstitious town believes. If Gauge can see the Wolf, then he must be in league with it. So instead of playing with friends in the streets or becoming his grandpapá’s partner in the carpentry shop, Gauge must hide and pretend he doesn’t exist. He helps his grandpapá in secret and is allowed out of the house only under the cover of night. Then the Wolf comes for his grandpapá, and for the first time, Gauge is left all alone, with a bounty on his head and the Wolf at his heels.

When a young feather collector named Roux offers Gauge assistance, Gauge is eager for the help. But soon the two—both recently orphaned—are questioning everything they have ever believed about their town, about the Wolf, and about death itself. 

Narrated by the sly, crafty Wolf, Jessica Vitalis’s debut novel is a vivid and literary tale about family, friendship, belonging, and grief. The Wolf’s Curse will captivate readers of Laurel Snyder’s Orphan Island and Molly Knox Ostertag’s The Witch Boy.