Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mighty tween heroine rocks fun, thrilling medieval tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Twelve-year-old Drest, THE MAD WOLF'S DAUGHTER, is the youngest member (and only "lass") in her family war band in medieval Scotland. When her father, the much-feared Mad Wolf, and her brothers are taken captive, soon to be hanged in a public post-Easter celebration, Drest has only her own resources, her brother's sword -- and the encouraging telepathic voices of her imprisoned but snarky-from-afar sibs -- to save them. First, though, she has to save a wounded young enemy knight who's just survived a murder attempt -- because he knows the way to the castle, and she doesn't.
Is It Any Good?
First-time author Diane Magras brings a spirited 12-year-old heroine, swordplay, peril, plot twists and betrayals -- plus lots of strong, quiet messages about kindness, and not believing all you hear. Warrior-girl Drest is appealingly relatable from the minute she tries in vain to warn her elders about an invading party -- and then has to go save them. Readers will cheer The Mad Wolf's Daughter as she braves many perils to rush to the rescue, in the process gaining surprising allies and even more surprising insights into herself and the Code of her father's war band. The satisfying conclusion is just a pause for breath, with a sequel due in spring 2019..
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Middle Ages, specifically in Scotland, where The Mad Wolf's Daughter is set. What other stories (real or imaginary) do you know about this era? Why do you think people today find it so appealing?
One of the lessons here is that you can't control your legend -- once people start recounting stories about you, there's no telling whether you'll like the stories, or even if they're true. Have you ever had this experience in real life? How did you cope?
Can you think of an example in regular life where talking was a good way to solve a conflict? Does this always work? What might get in the way?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Kathy Dawson Books
- Publication date : March 6, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
- Number of pages : 288
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate