A girl with a red cape, a boy soldier, a boy with an axe and, of course, wolves. The Wolf Wilder is a magnificent re-imagining of a classic tale written by Katherine Rundell and gloriously illustrated by Gelrev Ongbico is set in the snows of revolutionary Russia.

This is the story of Feo (Feodora) who is a wolf wilder, as is her mother. Wolf wilders take wolves who were raised as pets in Tsarist Russia but are no longer wanted for one reason or another and help them to be wild once more.

A story about a young girls adventures against the cruelty and fears of people, especially people in power who want to control others through fear they instill.

Along the way Feo meets several companions and friends who help her as much as she helps them and they grow together throughout the story.

There is both humour and loss which Feo and her friends have to contend with, though the peril is set at a level to help the story line it is never so much that it overwhelms the reader.

I found the book well written and set at a pace that kept me reading until the very last page, where I was disappointed that the story had ended as I wanted to know more.

I would recommend this to anyone between 8 and 80 as it is a refreshing read and has something for everyone.