Customer Reviews

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is my all-time favorite children's book, and I still have the copy that my parents gave me for my birthday in 1967 (just don't ask me which birthday). I am delighted to find that it is back in print. I coaxed my then-11-year-old son into reading it last year as part of his summer reading (I got fed up with all the Sonic the Hedgehog comics that he was trying to pass off as reading material), and although he started it under duress he quickly got hooked. Wonder if he'll do the same with his eventual children? It's that kind of book.

I just loved this book. It was a very good story.

The book is about two cousins, Sylvia and Bonnie. Sylvia is an orphan who has lived with her frail Aunt Jane for most of her life. Because Aunt Jane is so weak, she sends Sylvia to live with her cousin Bonnie. Bonnie lives with her two parents Sir Willoughby and Lady Green in a giant mansion called Willoughby Chase. The family is very rich and has many servants. But because Lady Green is very ill she and Sir Willoughby must go on a voyage to regain her health. So a young governess who is related to the family comes to take care of the s.

Once the Sir Willoughby and Lady Green have left, however Ms. Slighcarp locks Bonnie in a closet and starts dismissing all the servants.

I think that this was a well written book but nothing really happens until you are about half way through it

Many years ago a parent of one of my fourth grade students gave me the book to read to the children...OK and I threw it on the shelf and promptly forgot the book.
A few months later I was doing a miserable job on a Social Science and the lesson just wasn't working in short it stunk. In utter desperation I reached for the book and the rest is history since then I have read the book 26 times.......I figure about 650 children have had that story read to them..now they are reading it to their children,,,And the beat goes on. After writing this review I am going to read it for the 27th time it is that good. Joan Aiken is a master craftsperson with words

I first read this book when I was in elementary school, which was a longer time ago then I would like to think about! Upon re-reading it, I found it just as delightful now as it was then.
The story concerns two cousins, one who lives in poverty and the other in great wealth. The poor cousin, named Sylvia, journeys to meet her wealthy cousin, named Bonnie, and they become very close very quickly. They then undergo a series of trials and hardships together, but I don't want to give away too much, so I won't go into detail.
The real beauty of this book is Joan Aiken wonderful ability to describe just enough to delight, and allow your imagination to fill in all of the details. Some authors tell you too much, others too little, Joan gets it just right. I really felt like in reading this book, I was reunited with long lost friends.

Life seems to be perfect for Sylvia at her new home with her cousin Bonnie. Willoughby Chase was the best thing that ever happened to her. She was quite ready to plunge into her new life of luxury. But after her Aunt and Uncle go on a cruise, they discover the governess Mr. Willoughby engaged, the notorious Miss Slighcarp, is the crueltest ever. She dismissed all the servents, sold the ponies, toys, and furniture, and sent Bonnie and Sylvia to a most terrible orphangage in the city. With the help of their friend Simon, they manage to get away from the orphanage. When they get back to Willoughby Chase they find one of their faithful servants is still there. But, they hear that Bonnie's parents may have been shipwrecked beacause of Miss Slighcarp. Can they save Bonnie's parents and Willoughby Chase in time? You can not put this book down until you have turned the last page.

By Rachael

Well, alright, so the wolves aren't so wonderful, but the book *is*. I'm nineteen now and it's *still* one of my favourites. My copy is on my "Favourite Books Shelf", and of course I'm gradually buying the whole series.
I'm not sure what I can add to the reviews that have already been posted. A summary could only tell you what the book's *about* not why it's so wonderful...
I think that the first book I read was "Black Hearts..." and I decided that I needed to read the preceding book, and then I was hooked. Joan Aiken is one of the best children's authors of all time! I read the books to my younger siblings and, when the time comes, I'll read them to my own children.
Unlike a lot of books that are out there, these books give children (and adults) heros and heroines who are both good and believable. I find myself at times wondering "What would Dido do in that situation?" when reading other books.
I know this is not much of a review, but I honestly don't know how to explain *how* it is that the Wolves of Willoughby Chase managed to bespell me so completely.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is one of my all time favorite books. It is a page turning suspence book. Not a boring part in the entire book. We read this book in class and when the teacher stopped we wanted to go to school the next day! Talk about a great book! This book is great, now I have a copy myself. This is not only a childrens book, It is a family book too:)!

This is one of the best children's books around, although it seems to be known by very few people. In many ways it is the ultimate children's adventure, and has all of the elements I liked best from other stories... all in one book. It has an adventurous rich girl, and a poor little orphan, terrifying wolves, a winter train journey, an evil governess, a brave stableboy, a dark coal cellar, and daring escapes. The best part of this book is how atmospheric it is... you can almost feel cold of the blizzard and hear the howls of the wolves. I recommend people read this in the middle of winter in front of a roaring fireplace for best effect!

"The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" is the adventure of two young cousins (Sylvia and Bonnie Green) who must outwit the evil new governess, Miss Slighcarp, and her accomplices from stealing the Willoughbyï¿s estate. When news comes of Bonnieï¿s parentï¿s death, Sylvia and Bonnie are forced into an orphanage at Miss Slighcarpï¿s order, but later escape with the help of Simon, a friend of Bonnieï¿s, and are then able to uncover Miss Slighcarpï¿s elaborate plot.

"The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" is the first book in the Wolves Chronicles, followed by "Black Hearts in Battersea", "Nightbirds on Nantucket", "The Cuckoo Tree", and "The Stolen Lake". I recommend you read the others as well if you enjoyed "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase".

I first read this book in fifth grade and have reread it often ever since. Itï¿s one of my favorite books, and I highly recommend it for all ages.

It was later made into a movie in 1988, but I haven't seen it yet.

When I first read this book I was ten or eleven...I recommended it to my then best friend, and she too loved it. We used to play "Bonnie and Sylvia" (I was Bonnie) at recess. Anyways, this book will totally engross its readers. The strong heroines are amazing, and how someone couldn't love Simon is beyond me. The good guys are SO good, but they have quirks and eccentricities that make them loveable nonetheless, and the bad guys just drip evil. I think the book is made by its primary characters, though. If it weren't for Bonnie's charisma, Sylvia's believability, even if she's not the magnetic one, and Simon's goodness I would probably have dismissed it as Dickensian sop. However, since the heroes take charge, and although they face great adversity, they are never "put upon", I really enjoyed this book. I think it's a must read for young girls. It's less action-packed and fun and adventurous than the other books in the series, but it certainly inspired me enough at recess!