If you’re racing to get
your Christmas shopping done and need an enchanting story for girls aged ten
and up, then The Wolf Princess could
be just the ticket.
The first novel from journalist
turned author Cathryn Constable, it’s the captivating account of penniless orphan
Sophie Smith. Stuck in her drab London boarding school with her two best friends –
brainy Marianne and immaculately groomed Delphine - she longs for something
exciting to happen.
Then, thanks to a
mysterious Russian visitor, the trio suddenly find themselves on a school trip
to St Petersburg. But when they
arrive they are swept off by train to a winter palace – where a charismatic
princess lavishes them with gifts, takes them skating on a frozen lake and
weaves stories about her family’s tragic past.
With its magical descriptions
of ice, snow, diamonds and white wolves who prowl the palace grounds at night, The Wolf Princess is the perfect read
for a chilly Christmas afternoon. The cover, as you can see, is glorious too.
The Wolf Princess by Cathryn Constable (Chicken
House, £6.99)