Winter of the Wolf

by Martha Hunt Handler

Overview

A tragic mystery blending sleuthing and spirituality

​An exploration in grief, suicide, spiritualism, and Inuit culture, Winter of the Wolf follows Bean, an empathic and spiritually evolved fifteen-year-old, who is determined to unravel the mystery of her brother Sam’s death. Though all evidence points to a suicide, her heart and intuition compel her to dig deeper. With help from her friend Julie, they retrace Sam’s steps, delve into his Inuit beliefs, and reconnect with their spiritual beliefs to uncover clues beyond material understanding. 

Both tragic and heartwarming, this twisting novel draws you into Bean's world as she struggles with grief, navigates high school dramas, and learns to open her heart in order to see the true nature of the people around her. Winter of the Wolf is about seeking the truth—no matter how painful—in order to see the full picture.

In this novel, environmentalist and award-winning author, Martha Handler, brings together two important pieces of her life—the death of her best friend’s son and her work as president of the Wolf Conservation Center—to tell an empathetic and powerful story with undeniable messages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626347182
Publisher:	Greenleaf Book Group Press
Publication date:	07/07/2020
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Martha Hunt Handler grew up in northern Illinois dreaming about wolves and has always understood that her role in this lifetime is to tell stories and be a voice for nature. She has been an environmental consultant, a magazine columnist, an actress, and a polar explorer, among other occupations. She has also driven across the country in an 18-wheeler and been a grand-prize winner of The Newlywed Game.

Soon after she and her family relocated from Los Angeles to South Salem, New York, she began to hear wolves in her backyard. This was the start of her twenty-plus-year career as an advocate for wolves at the Wolf Conservation Center, where she currently serves as Board President.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Martha’s gut-wrenching and captivating story may be a work of fiction, but it hauntingly hits home. I felt like I was reading my worst nightmare.” 

—Stephanie Ruhle, NBC News
 

“Handler takes us deep inside one family’s tragedy and shows us how our spiritual beliefs can guide us at our deepest moments of grief. As we travel with fifteen-year-old Bean through the loss of her beloved brother Sam, we see how friendship, trust, and deeply held beliefs help her navigate the painful aftermath of his death. In a mystery that races forward, Handler shows us the power of sibling love to endure forever.”

—Lisa Heffernan, coauthor of Grown and Flown: How to Support Your Teen, Stay Close as a Family, and Raise Independent Adults
 

“All great books open our minds, broaden our visions, and strengthen our convictions, and Martha Hunt Handler’s Winter of the Wolf does all three brilliantly. Much like a wolf, 15-year-old Bean follows her intuition, desperate and determined to prove her beloved brother did not choose to end his life. As readers follow her emotional and spiritual journey, they will, undoubtedly, begin to question their own beliefs about life and death and the interconnectedness of all spiritual beings. A breathtaking read from start to finish.”

—Hélène Grimaud, founder of the Wolf Conservation Center, world-renowned musical artist, writer, and human rights activist
 

“A true literary masterpiece. Martha Hunt Handler takes us on an edge-of-your-seat thriller. We find ourselves arriving at the collision course between perceptions we’ve long held and deeper beliefs we’ve long ignored. While taking us on a journey of unfathomable pain, she asks us to ponder both the spiritual world around us and our interconnectedness to all souls who share the planet with us. You’ll be awakened to the idea that the light that shines within us is too bright to ever be extinguished.”

—Wendy Diamond, best-selling author, TV personality, animal advocate, and founder of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day
 

“Let Winter of the Wolf take you on a journey of the soul to unearth the truth to set you free.” 

—Emme, supermodel and social reformer
 

“Winter of the Wolf is a compelling, heartfelt tale based on a story close to the author’s heart. She takes what is a difficult subject and weaves a captivating story about life, death, grief, and gratitude. A must-read for any age.”

—Mary Ellen Keating, former Senior Vice President of Communications for Barnes & Noble, Inc.
 

“What we attempt to capture in our photographs, Martha Hunt Handler portrays with her words in a heartbreaking story that reminds us of our interconnectedness with all that is living and breathing on our planet."

—Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier, cofounders of SeaLegacy, world-renowned nature photographers, and filmmakers
 

“Heartwarming and unflinching, Winter of the Wolf explores one family's struggle to face the complex nature of death and loss. A timely and important tale for all ages, it offers a powerful message of hope for our lives.”

—Kristen Wolf, best-selling author of The Way: A Girl Who Dared to Rise
 

“Winter of the Wolf takes you on an amazing and emotional journey through suicide and spiritual discovery.”

—Bria Neff, teen wildlife artist and advocate

Editorial Reviews

Martha’s gut-wrenching and captivating story may be a work of fiction, but it hauntingly hits home. I felt like I was reading my worst nightmare.” 

—Stephanie Ruhle, NBC News

“Handler takes us deep inside one family’s tragedy and shows us how our spiritual beliefs can guide us at our deepest moments of grief. As we travel with fifteen-year-old Bean through the loss of her beloved brother Sam, we see how friendship, trust, and deeply held beliefs help her navigate the painful aftermath of his death. In a mystery that races forward, Handler shows us the power of sibling love to endure forever.”

—Lisa Heffernan, coauthor of Grown and Flown: How to Support Your Teen, Stay Close as a Family, and Raise Independent Adults

“All great books open our minds, broaden our visions, and strengthen our convictions, and Martha Hunt Handler’s Winter of the Wolf does all three brilliantly. Much like a wolf, 15-year-old Bean follows her intuition, desperate and determined to prove her beloved brother did not choose to end his life. As readers follow her emotional and spiritual journey, they will, undoubtedly, begin to question their own beliefs about life and death and the interconnectedness of all spiritual beings. A breathtaking read from start to finish.”

—Hélène Grimaud, founder of the Wolf Conservation Center, world-renowned musical artist, writer, and human rights activist

“A true literary masterpiece. Martha Hunt Handler takes us on an edge-of-your-seat thriller. We find ourselves arriving at the collision course between perceptions we’ve long held and deeper beliefs we’ve long ignored. While taking us on a journey of unfathomable pain, she asks us to ponder both the spiritual world around us and our interconnectedness to all souls who share the planet with us. You’ll be awakened to the idea that the light that shines within us is too bright to ever be extinguished.”

—Wendy Diamond, best-selling author, TV personality, animal advocate, and founder of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day

“Let Winter of the Wolf take you on a journey of the soul to unearth the truth to set you free.” 

—Emme, supermodel and social reformer

“Winter of the Wolf is a compelling, heartfelt tale based on a story close to the author’s heart. She takes what is a difficult subject and weaves a captivating story about life, death, grief, and gratitude. A must-read for any age.”

—Mary Ellen Keating, former Senior Vice President of Communications for Barnes & Noble, Inc.

“What we attempt to capture in our photographs, Martha Hunt Handler portrays with her words in a heartbreaking story that reminds us of our interconnectedness with all that is living and breathing on our planet."

—Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier, cofounders of SeaLegacy, world-renowned nature photographers, and filmmakers

“Heartwarming and unflinching, Winter of the Wolf explores one family's struggle to face the complex nature of death and loss. A timely and important tale for all ages, it offers a powerful message of hope for our lives.”

—Kristen Wolf, best-selling author of The Way: A Girl Who Dared to Rise

“Winter of the Wolf takes you on an amazing and emotional journey through suicide and spiritual discovery.”

—Bria Neff, teen wildlife artist and advocate

From the Publisher

07/10/2020

Gr 8 Up—Bean's older brother Sam was her best friend. Then he's gone, and Bean blames herself. After all, if she hadn't begged him to sneak out to drive her to a friend's house, they never would have hit the deer, totaling their dad's precious vehicle, one they were never allowed to drive. But why would Sam kill himself later that night? Sam wasn't Inuit, but was fascinated by Inuit culture, and Bean and her friend Julie set out to solve the mystery by recreating an Inuit ritual to contact the dead. Though the author includes back matter with resources about Inuit culture, their decision to depict characters' appropriation of Native rituals to solve a mystery is disappointing. Meanwhile, the family wrestles with their mom's depression and the daunting task of cleaning out Sam's bedroom. A bit of mystery and a very light romance add interest to the story. As tame as the romance is, however, this book should be reserved for mature readers as ultimately the cause of death is discovered to be accidental auto-erotic asphyxiation. VERDICT Problematic depictions of cultural appropriation mean that this touching portrait of grief cannot be strongly recommended for purchase.—Leah Krippner, Harlem H.S., Machesney Park, IL

School Library Journal