Wolf-Speaker

Grade 6-9-A sequel to Wild Magic (Atheneum, 1992). Veralidaine Sarrasri, a.k.a. Daine, is on the road with her mentor and tutor, the master mage Numair Salmalin; her faithful pony, Cloud; and Skysong, the dragon kit she is raising. They are answering a summons from the Long Lake wolf pack that was once Daine's only family. Help is urgently needed to oppose the "two-leggers" who are despoiling the pack's home, but as they enter the valley, Daine and Numair learn that more is amiss. High treason is afoot, and only extreme efforts-natural and magical-can save the Kingdom of Tortall. Orphaned Daine, now 14, has always been able to mind-speak with animals, but now she is also learning to heal their wounds magically, to enter their minds and see with their eyes, and to change temporarily into animal form. New readers may have some trouble believing the premise of this book, lacking the background information so carefully presented in Wild Magic. Wolf-Speaker is more of a simple adventure than the exploration of characters, feelings, and relationships found in the earlier title. Wild Magic is a powerful fantasy, and its readers will clamor for, and probably not be disappointed by, this sequel. It resolves its conflicts quite satisfactorily, but there is still room for further adventures for Daine and her friends. Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA