Michelle Paver’s enthralling Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series charts the adventures of Torak, Wolf and Renn as they battle against evil mages, terrifying beasts and fierce elements in a beautifully rich prehistoric world.
Image: Geoff Taylor
There is so much to love in these books: the intricate interweaving of magic and nature, the immersive descriptions of survival and woodland skills, the constant threat of the Soul Eaters, and, of course, the unbreakable bond between a boy and his wolf.
For those who have finished the series and are hunting for what to read next, we have compiled a list of some of our favourite books that have the same sense of immersive natural adventure and detailed world building. We hope you enjoy them!
This great book by Teresa Heapy, illustrated by Adam Beer, is a shorter, standalone adventure featuring a similarly close boy-and-wolf combo.
The action begins when Will and his dog Whisker are summoned to the magical Wolf Land, where Whisker transforms into a mighty talking wolf. The pair of best friends must triumph over rival wolves and survive many perils to save the realm and their new wolfy friends. It’s action-packed, pacy, and brought to life with excellent illustrations.
The first in a riveting series by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, this book sees its hero Ysolda embark on a perilous quest to find an ancient mythical being in the fabled End-World Wood in order to save her sister from the clutches of the Wolf Queen.
This beautiful story is wonderfully layered with elements of mystery, fairy tale, mythology, and magic, and will have readers hooked for the entire series.
Beth O’Brien’s incredible reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood tells the story of a wonderfully resilient protagonist, Red, as she challenges the fear and hatred expressed by her village towards the nature that surrounds them.
There is a subtle mix of magic and natural themes, and a brilliant twist on fairy tale archetypes as Red gradually discovers the true villains of the story. While featuring less direct action than others in this list, this book is gloriously gothic, and its sense of slow-building tension and exploration of social themes will have more advanced readers totally engaged.
The amazing Cressida Cowell introduces us to another fabulous series with this story that brims over with magic, adventure and hilarious mayhem.
When a young hapless Wizard meets a girl from the rival Warrior tribe, they must put their differences aside to defeat a more sinister foe that threatens their Iron Age woodland world. Filled with Cowell’s trademark illustrations, this unpredictable and exhilarating story will immerse readers from the outset and have them crying out for the next in the series.
When a boy seeks sanctuary in some woods, he finds he has been magically transported through time to the Stone Age.
Now, facing fierce animals, environmental threats, and with an injured boy to save, he must learn to survive in the unknown and to face his own fears. This timeslip adventure drags its readers back in time to an ancient world in a wonderfully visceral way.
Pari Thomson’s brilliant first book in her series sees Daisy enter the vibrantly detailed secret world of Greenwild – a world where botanists use green magic to look after plants of all kinds.
This book features some of the most gloriously detailed descriptions of nature and is exceptionally imaginative. Expect lily pad boats, sighing forests, and vines that can pour teapots, as well as a healthy dose of thrilling action.
by Pari Thomson, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli
2023 9 to 14 years
A.F. Steadman’s Skandar series is totally gripping, and fans of Wolf Brother will adore the descriptions of the unique bonds between unicorns and their riders, as well as the intricate world of fortified forests and sprawling treehouses they inhabit.
This title, the first in the series, follows Skandar as he begins his five-year training programme with his very own unicorn, Scoundrel’s Luck. He and his new friends must work together to take on the Weaver, an evil spirit wielder who is stealing unicorns and spreading fear. Superb.
Katherine Rundell’s stunning adventure is rightly heralded as a modern classic. Readers join dual heroes Mal and Christopher as they seek to restore magical balance to the Archipelago, a gorgeously crafted magical world filled with fantastical creatures that were thought to exist only in myth and legend.
Fans of Michelle Paver’s mix of animals, danger, quests, and magic will instantly fall in love with this book.
Set in the prehistoric woods of Ireland during an endless winter, this enchanting, illustrated verse novel tells the story of Fia and her beloved snow deer Solas as they journey through the harsh colds and dangers of the winter woodlands to find the mythical Deer Mother, the Bringer of Spring.
Featuring incredible artwork, lyrical poetry and a beautiful animal bond, this is a great choice which offers something a little different for those who loved the wild charm of Wolf Brother.
