Tayles of the forest by Lucinda Gifford

The Wolves of Greycoat Hall was the first book in this series and introduced this wonderful wolf family as they went holidaying in Scotland to discover their family roots. It continued with Boris in Switzerland where Boris attended an exclusive boarding school, discovered all things Swiss and made some human friends.  This third and final book in the series brings the friends Boris made in Switzerland and Scotland to his home in Morovia at Christmas time.  Aileen and Pierre enjoy the great wolfish hospitality, meet some of Boris’ wolf friends and learn all about the Christmas traditions in Morovia. Aileen is visiting to help write more about the history of the Greycoat family with Boris’ father Randall.  Boris is excited about his friend Pierre visiting because they have planned to build some amazing snow castles and for Pierre to attend Boris’ school during the following term. But when Boris is given a rare book of Moravian fairy tales, a mysterious guest arrives at the house and items start disappearing from the Greycoat’s home. Luckily, Boris and his friends are on the case to find out who is behind these strange happenings. The book is peppered with Lucinda’s amazing illustrations, and we are treated to excerpts from both the Morovian fairy tale book and A guide to Morovia to give us all the information we need to know about life in this amazing Wolf country. Wolves have traditionally been viewed as the villains in stories, but this series has elevated them to being accepted as friends and colleagues, a useful way to discuss how people should be judged, by their looks, by who they are or by how they act.

Themes: Wolves, Lost and found, Mysteries, Switzerland, School.

Gabrielle Anderson