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A Walk in Wolf Wood
John and Margaret Begbie are picnicking with their parents in the Black Forest when they are mysteriously spirited back through time into the Middle Ages. There they meet Mardian, one-time servant and closest friend of Duke Otho, ruler of the country. He tells them a terrible secret - he is under the enchantment of the evil sorcerer Almeric, and is forced to assume a wolf's shape every night. Unable to return to the castle, the children are his only hope. And so John and Margaret disguise themselves as children of the court and embark on a thrilling and frightening quest to reveal Almeric's true nature and gain the Duke's confidence. But then Almeric becomes suspicious, and suddenly all their lives are in danger...
188 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
54 people are currently reading
1129 people want to read
About the author
Mary Stewart
92 books2,872 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.
She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.
Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.
Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.
She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.
Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
June 14, 2019
Mary Stewart, my favorite romantic suspense novelist, tried her hand at children's books once or twice. I ran across this one in the library, inexplicably shelved in the adult fantasy/SF section, and decided to check it out.
English siblings John and Margaret (ages not specified, but they read as somewhere in the 10 to 13 age range) are traveling in Germany with their parents. They stop to rest in a forest called Wolfenwald (Wolf Wood), where a magical spell--which conveniently enables them to speak and understand medieval German--takes the two children back to a time long ago, where they meet a man in the forest named Lord Mardian.
An evil magician has secretly placed Mardian, the local duke's best friend, under a spell that turns him into a wolf every night. Mardian ran away and is hiding in the forest, while the magician has changed his appearance to look like Mardian and has taken his place at court, where he is conniving to off the duke and seize power. However, the real Mardian still has a golden medallion that the duke will recognize, and he asks the children to sneak into the castle, give the medallion to the duke and explain to him what has happened. But the children are too worried about the danger, so he sends them back home.
The end.
. . .
Haha, NOT. What self-respecting kid would turn down the chance at an adventure like this? They laugh in the face of danger!
This book is written on a middle grade level and is kind of old-fashioned and dated. Though it was published in 1980, it reads more like kids’ fantasy from the 60s or 70s. I got bored and skimmed through the last half. It might appeal to some, but I think that, especially nowadays, there are a lot better magical fantasies out there.
2.75 stars.
English siblings John and Margaret (ages not specified, but they read as somewhere in the 10 to 13 age range) are traveling in Germany with their parents. They stop to rest in a forest called Wolfenwald (Wolf Wood), where a magical spell--which conveniently enables them to speak and understand medieval German--takes the two children back to a time long ago, where they meet a man in the forest named Lord Mardian.
An evil magician has secretly placed Mardian, the local duke's best friend, under a spell that turns him into a wolf every night. Mardian ran away and is hiding in the forest, while the magician has changed his appearance to look like Mardian and has taken his place at court, where he is conniving to off the duke and seize power. However, the real Mardian still has a golden medallion that the duke will recognize, and he asks the children to sneak into the castle, give the medallion to the duke and explain to him what has happened. But the children are too worried about the danger, so he sends them back home.
The end.
. . .
Haha, NOT. What self-respecting kid would turn down the chance at an adventure like this? They laugh in the face of danger!
This book is written on a middle grade level and is kind of old-fashioned and dated. Though it was published in 1980, it reads more like kids’ fantasy from the 60s or 70s. I got bored and skimmed through the last half. It might appeal to some, but I think that, especially nowadays, there are a lot better magical fantasies out there.
2.75 stars.
September 11, 2023
In a discussion with my good GR friend Abigail, I was trying to put my finger on why this was such an unsatisfying read.
It wasn't just because I'm not a big reader of books aimed at 10 year olds.
I'm glad this was a group read, as I don't know if I would have finished it otherwise. & the ending was good, but I don't know - for most of the book it felt like something was missing.
Abigail mentioned stereotypes, & I think that was it. No character had a unique personality & until near the end there was no sparkle or page turning qualities. It was sort of like a pallid knockoff of the Narnia books. (not that I have read many of them)
I wouldn't recommend purchasing this one unless you are a MS completist.
Read with the Madam, want to talk about author Mary Stewart? group.
It wasn't just because I'm not a big reader of books aimed at 10 year olds.
I'm glad this was a group read, as I don't know if I would have finished it otherwise. & the ending was good, but I don't know - for most of the book it felt like something was missing.
Abigail mentioned stereotypes, & I think that was it. No character had a unique personality & until near the end there was no sparkle or page turning qualities. It was sort of like a pallid knockoff of the Narnia books. (not that I have read many of them)
I wouldn't recommend purchasing this one unless you are a MS completist.
Read with the Madam, want to talk about author Mary Stewart? group.
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
April 28, 2020
A children’s book by one of my favorite authors, Mary Stewart. What a delightful little tale this is, full of the kind of magic that makes the ancient fairytales so pleasing. I kept wishing I had a very young granddaughter to read it to and felt a bit sad to know that it existed when my granddaughter was just the right age and we missed it.
The writing is superb, full of Mary Stewart’s unparalleled eye for detail:
But otherwise the forest was still, with the heavy, sleepy stillness of summer. Not that it was really silent. If you lay with your eyes shut, and really tried to listen to the silence, you could hear it; it was made up of thousands of tiny sounds which might be the trees growing, or the toadstools pushing up through the pine needles, or the air breathing gently through the twigs overhead as the sun heated the ground and the moisture drifted upwards from the mosses.
Even as an adult, I was transfixed by the tale as it unfolded. And, even though I knew how it was likely to end, it was exciting and charming. Isn’t that, after all, one of the things we loved about the original fairytales...knowing that there was happily ever after at the end: Snow White, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty sure to get their princes and the evil enchanters sure to get their due?
If your child is a precocious reader, hand her this book. If not, read it to her. Don’t miss the fun.
The writing is superb, full of Mary Stewart’s unparalleled eye for detail:
But otherwise the forest was still, with the heavy, sleepy stillness of summer. Not that it was really silent. If you lay with your eyes shut, and really tried to listen to the silence, you could hear it; it was made up of thousands of tiny sounds which might be the trees growing, or the toadstools pushing up through the pine needles, or the air breathing gently through the twigs overhead as the sun heated the ground and the moisture drifted upwards from the mosses.
Even as an adult, I was transfixed by the tale as it unfolded. And, even though I knew how it was likely to end, it was exciting and charming. Isn’t that, after all, one of the things we loved about the original fairytales...knowing that there was happily ever after at the end: Snow White, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty sure to get their princes and the evil enchanters sure to get their due?
If your child is a precocious reader, hand her this book. If not, read it to her. Don’t miss the fun.
Read
September 10, 2022Children's story with the useful and practical warning, which I hope that you will all remember, that if you are in medieval Germany and trying to supplant the Duke's best friend, it is best not to try to do this by turning him into a werewolf, as time travelling pesky English kids are sure to ruin your best laid plans.
Atmospheric, medieval intrigue for the younger would be time traveller.
Atmospheric, medieval intrigue for the younger would be time traveller.
May 8, 2013
Buddy read with Jeannette and Hannah
A cute little tale of fantasy and magic brought to life by Mary Stewart’s wonderful prose and gifted story telling. In a nutshell, this is a story of two children coming to the aid of a good werewolf. I won’t say more than that as I don’t want to give away any of the plot. I loved the descriptions of the forest and the sounds of the forest, as well as the cottage and the castle.
Of course the castle has a long abandoned (and therefore forgotten) room which provides access to the castle cellar. The two children, John and Margaret, become Hans and Gretta in the “enchantment” they take part in. Mary Stewart even brings the Duke’s son back into the story at the end which I thought added a nice touch. There were some slightly exciting moments in this fairy tale.
I think this would be a good story for young children and I think my children would have enjoyed it, too bad I didn’t know about it when they were young. I also think this story would make a good “read aloud” to children. The copy I read had some very nice illustrations.
A sampling from page 54:
I expected this tale to be very different from Stewart's other books I have read, and it was!
A cute little tale of fantasy and magic brought to life by Mary Stewart’s wonderful prose and gifted story telling. In a nutshell, this is a story of two children coming to the aid of a good werewolf. I won’t say more than that as I don’t want to give away any of the plot. I loved the descriptions of the forest and the sounds of the forest, as well as the cottage and the castle.
Not that it was really silent. If you lay with your eyes shut, and really tried to listen to the silence, you could hear it; it was made up of thousands of tiny sounds which might be the trees growing, or the toadstools pushing up through the pine needles, or the air breathing gently through the twigs overhead as the sun heated the ground and the moisture drifted upwards from the mosses.
Of course the castle has a long abandoned (and therefore forgotten) room which provides access to the castle cellar. The two children, John and Margaret, become Hans and Gretta in the “enchantment” they take part in. Mary Stewart even brings the Duke’s son back into the story at the end which I thought added a nice touch. There were some slightly exciting moments in this fairy tale.
I think this would be a good story for young children and I think my children would have enjoyed it, too bad I didn’t know about it when they were young. I also think this story would make a good “read aloud” to children. The copy I read had some very nice illustrations.
A sampling from page 54:
Already they seemed to belong to this strange, rather alarming, remote and magic age where dukes ruled in lonely castles, and evil men ambitious of power stole a good man’s life and happiness and condemned him to a long prison. They were too young to know that every age is the same, for men do not alter.
I expected this tale to be very different from Stewart's other books I have read, and it was!
September 4, 2023
If I had read A Walk in Wolf Wood when I was nine or so, I’m sure I would have enjoyed it. But a great children’s book also has resonance for adults and this one, for me, really didn’t.
I’m not entirely sure what’s lacking. There’s danger, an adventure, magic, and solid virtues like honesty and loyalty. But perhaps the child protagonists were more lucky than brave; they simply weren’t tested to any great degree.
Margaret and John, brother and sister, are traveling in Germany with their parents. After a picnic their parents fall asleep and the children decide to go for a quick. A man has passed by them, strangely dressed and weeping, and they’re curious about him. They follow him down a track into the woods. Soon they find a strange medallion he had been wearing around his neck and they decide to locate him so they can give it back. They come to a partly ruined cottage in the woods . . .
At this point reality and fairy tale start to intermingle. There’s a wolf and a panicked flight back toward their parents, who aren’t there any longer, and Margaret and John find themselves in a different world. They encounter plenty that ought to be scary, but the author seems afraid of scaring us too much, so she repeatedly reassures us that what they experience is some sort of a dream. Within that dream space the two have to show courage and resourcefulness, but because it isn’t real, the perils they face have little power. It’s all very medieval-mythological and that has its charms, but nothing really grabbed me in the gut. I enjoyed Stewart’s book for the same age group called The Little Broomstick a good deal more.
I’m not entirely sure what’s lacking. There’s danger, an adventure, magic, and solid virtues like honesty and loyalty. But perhaps the child protagonists were more lucky than brave; they simply weren’t tested to any great degree.
Margaret and John, brother and sister, are traveling in Germany with their parents. After a picnic their parents fall asleep and the children decide to go for a quick. A man has passed by them, strangely dressed and weeping, and they’re curious about him. They follow him down a track into the woods. Soon they find a strange medallion he had been wearing around his neck and they decide to locate him so they can give it back. They come to a partly ruined cottage in the woods . . .
At this point reality and fairy tale start to intermingle. There’s a wolf and a panicked flight back toward their parents, who aren’t there any longer, and Margaret and John find themselves in a different world. They encounter plenty that ought to be scary, but the author seems afraid of scaring us too much, so she repeatedly reassures us that what they experience is some sort of a dream. Within that dream space the two have to show courage and resourcefulness, but because it isn’t real, the perils they face have little power. It’s all very medieval-mythological and that has its charms, but nothing really grabbed me in the gut. I enjoyed Stewart’s book for the same age group called The Little Broomstick a good deal more.
January 20, 2025
Read as a family. They all enjoyed. This book contains a Werwolf, a sorcerer, magic spells, illusions, impersonation, and so much more.
Me and my daughters love Mary Stewart’s other books. We had to try her children’s offerings..
Me and my daughters love Mary Stewart’s other books. We had to try her children’s offerings..
January 31, 2018
Although not as transporting as her fare for adults, Mary Stewart still displays her talent for storytelling with this enchanting fairytale. I will be keeping this in mind for when I am required as an aunt to do some reading aloud. (The Little Broomstick is a much better children's book from Stewart.)
March 30, 2007
This was another book that I made my mom read to me over and over again as a child until she became sick of it. Once I learned to read, this continued to be a favorite. It is not actually written for young children and is probably more appropriate for youths-adults.
January 16, 2009
My 5th Grade Teacher, Mrs. Schultz read this to my class and I couldn't wait for Friday afternoons to hear what would happen next. When I told my parents about it and they told me that Mary Stewart had other books, I was in heaven!
Want to read
December 5, 2024John and Margaret were picnicking in the Black Forest in Germany when, in the sleepy heat of the afternoon, an oddly-dressed man walked straight past them, weeping bitterly.
On impulse they followed him further into the forest, and that was the beginning of their adventure. Slipping back in time to the fourteenth century, the two children discovered a medieval world overlaid with the shadow of a dark magic, and only they had the key that could unlock the enchantment of the weeping man.
ISBN 034026537X/9780340265376 (fourth impression, 1989) has an alternative cover illustrated by Sandy Nightingale (a howling wolf stands nearby two children in medieval clothing, the girl covering her ears, and a grey castle with a ruined tower in the background).
March 2, 2021
Reading A Walk in Wolf Wood by Mary Stewart just made my heart happy. It's no secret that Mary Stewart is one of my favorite authors so I was thrilled to finally get my hands on a copy of this little novel. The setting and story are just gorgeous and I can't wait to read it aloud to my sons.
August 5, 2013
Best enchanting children's book I've read. I love time travel and Ms. Stewart suspends disbelief with razor sharp skill. I felt like I was traveling with John and Margaret Begbie through Wolf Wood. I joined them on their journey through time coming to the aid of a weeping man named Mardian, who was cursed by an evil enchanter, Almeric. Almeric was desperate to take the throne but he first needed to do away with the king and the king's son. He couldn't achieve this without getting Mardian out of the way. Mardian had grown up with the King and both wore a talisman to show their loyalty to one another. Almeric managed to cast a spell on Mardian, turning him into the wolf but failed to grab the talisman from him. Almeric then used magic to turn himself into a false Mardian so he could keep a close eye on the King, making sure his health continued to spiral downward. John and Margaret knew they had been transported back in time to help the real Mardian reclaim his place by the King's side and to reveal Almeric's true identity.
This is an exceptional story of magic, enchantment, spells, time travel and mystery.
This is an exceptional story of magic, enchantment, spells, time travel and mystery.
July 9, 2023
I'm a huge fan of Mary Stewart and adore her Arthurian series and her romance/mysteries. I just recently found out that she also wrote this children's fantasy and wanted to give it a whirl. It's decent, with occasional moments where Stewart's usual subtlety and deftness shine through and a nice Narnia-esque vibe, but the ending left enough unexplained and was hasty enough that I left feeling disappointed. I have a feeling I would've loved it if I'd found it as a kid; younger Stephanie was quite forgiving about slipshod endings.
June 10, 2018
A Walk in Wolf Wood is a children's book written by the well-known author Mary Stewart. She may be best known for her Merlin Trilogy, although she also wrote many mystery/romance books as well. In this book, she weaves a tale of children on holiday who enter an enchanted forest and end up in a fantastical adventure. For some young readers it may seem rather old-fashioned, but there are many who will enjoy this rather sophisticated magical story.
November 11, 2015
This is a children's book but "not just for children" as noted on the book cover. I decided to read it since I am a fan of Mary Stewart. It was a little slow to get into and somewhat predictable as would be expected for a child's book but I did enjoy it. I'm sure it would be more enjoyable for a child.
July 23, 2008
My mom used to tell this story while we were working in the garden or canning. I loved the story that I read the book when I was about 12. I reread it a few months ago with my husband and I still love it. A truly magical tale, great for young readers.
October 1, 2007
I thought it was sweet, enchanting, and simple. It accomplished all that was required of it as a children's novel, and I enjoyed it myself. Of course, I might be considered a child as well . . .
March 9, 2021
Mary Stewartin "Susimetsän salat" (Tammi, 1983) kertoo kahdesta englantilaisesta lapsesta, jotka ovat vanhempineen lomailemassa Saksassa. Susimetsäksi kutsutussa paikassa he onnistuvat siirtymään ajassa taaksepäin, ja törmäävät siellä ilkeän velhon (tai tässä käännöksessä taikurin) punomiin juoniin, lumottuun aatelismieheen ja ihan oikeaan ihmissuteen.
Luultavasti olisin kirjasta tykännyt joskus muinaisella 1980-luvulla, mutta nyt juonenkäänteet tuntuivat ainoastaan hölmöiltä eivätkä edellämainituista aineksista huolimatta edes kovin jännittäviltä. Ei siis mitään työkäyttöä tälle, kun parempia tai vähintään samantasoisia kirjoja on tarjolla.
En muuten ihan heti hahmottanut, että Mary Stewart vastasi yhdestä lapsuuteni suosikkikirjoista, eli Ludosta ja tähtihevosesta. Uskaltaisikohan lukea sitä enää uudestaan...
Luultavasti olisin kirjasta tykännyt joskus muinaisella 1980-luvulla, mutta nyt juonenkäänteet tuntuivat ainoastaan hölmöiltä eivätkä edellämainituista aineksista huolimatta edes kovin jännittäviltä. Ei siis mitään työkäyttöä tälle, kun parempia tai vähintään samantasoisia kirjoja on tarjolla.
En muuten ihan heti hahmottanut, että Mary Stewart vastasi yhdestä lapsuuteni suosikkikirjoista, eli Ludosta ja tähtihevosesta. Uskaltaisikohan lukea sitä enää uudestaan...
October 9, 2020
John ja Margaret (joiden ikää ei kerrota, mutta ovat luultavasti suunnilleen 10-12-vuotiaita) päätyvät Saksassa lomaillessaan aikamatkalle keskiaikaan. Sisarusten on rikottava lumous, joka on langetettu erään miehen päälle. Hän muuttuu joka yö sudeksi. Vaikka kirja on jo 40 vuotta vanha, se tuntuu kestäneen hyvin aikaa. Jännittäviä hetkiä ja kaunista luontokuvausta.
October 7, 2017
This is obviously a kid's book but it is Mary Stewart, for Pete's sake! So the fairy tale is well done and most intriguing. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it in a heartbeat to a youngster who loves a Narnia-like story.
October 18, 2021
This was a fun story! I'll read it again.
August 26, 2025
A delightful shared read with my 8 year old, full of fantasy and magic.
May 28, 2013
A re-read from childhood again. I had completely forgotten what this book actually was - I read it very young, and I remember that I thought very highly of it, but I seem to have merged all of its storyline with several other books, and superimposed a Dianne Wynne Jones story onto my copy of this. Very confusing to come back to it and find it's something else altogether!
It has that excellent lack of setup, and complete suspension of disbelief; it's a simple, here we are, and off we go, and there's little more need for introduction or resolution than is received here, but it makes me realise how much time is so often spent on 'character' over plot. And I don't think this really suffers for the amount of description and plot put in place of character.
The descriptions delighted me, more so now I know more about the period and their accuracies, I think, but I know they lit my imagination up when I was little (even if I thought some of the scenes were in something else) and so I think the book very much succeeds on all fronts. A quick and easy timepasser now, but something I'm very pleased to have gone back to.
December 8, 2022
This book was just okay for me. Almost gave up twice. But it was a short book so I was determined to finish it.
July 15, 2012
This book was milder than we expected and I think written for very young children who are just starting to like werewolves, if that could be called a stage of child development. My ten year old found it a bit dull. The story is interesting, but not a whole lot happens, and the pattern of word choice appeared to be based upon researched vocabulary lists for elementary level reading, or something. It wasn't as bad as, say, any book of the last twenty five years by Disney or Sesame Street, thank heavens. Just...simple. Which could be a really neat choice for a young kid who wants just a taste of suspense but worries that their favorite character might get scared or hurt. It would also be good for struggling readers, because it teaches, but doesn't lose a poetic feel. Too many times people who struggle with reading keep getting fed the starchy stuff when they need some imagination as well.
It's a good book.
It's a good book.
December 22, 2020
Long on atmosphere, with some decent action set-pieces, this is unfortunately short on any worthwhile characterization, and as a kid I remembered it being a bit of a slog. I think it's because our hero and heroine John and Margaret are quite dull and good, and I was not at all in invested in them (compared to the delightfully salty and squabbling Jill and Eustace in THE SILVER CHAIR, another portal fantasy, or the hilarious shenanigans of Steve and Max in MAX AND ME AND THE TIME MACHINE, another medieval time travel fantasy). The opening chapter is a masterpiece of atmosphere and eerie gothic tension, but that's the high point, unfortunately. It's readable enough, but it's somehow not...very... engaging, and I think it's because I don't care about any of the characters, and things never seem to get that hairy.
Worth a read if you find it in a used bookstore or in the library, but it's not really something I recommend.
Worth a read if you find it in a used bookstore or in the library, but it's not really something I recommend.
April 21, 2021
This was fine
May 23, 2013
I picked this up due to the fact that I have always loved Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy. It really reads as being very dated, I don't see a middle-grade reader of this day and age being very accepting of this. I was good, a bit stilted at times. Rife with those inevitable lines that are not so appropriate for younger readers......."Something awful had happened to him," whispered John. "Not just an accident, or getting hurt---and anyway there was no sign of that---but something really awful."
"Like having a wound, deep inside," said Margaret, "and bleeding to death slowly, but not telling anyone." A classical fairytale story filled with life lessons.
"Like having a wound, deep inside," said Margaret, "and bleeding to death slowly, but not telling anyone." A classical fairytale story filled with life lessons.
June 19, 2016
This review is long overdue, but now I am finally ready to express my excitement with this book!
I actually started it a while back and then put it down to read other books. About a couple of days ago, I went back to reading it and am glad I did! The story is riveting and full of surprises! The ending it heart-wrenching (but in a good way). The characters are fun and you cheer for their's and Wolf's victory the entire time. Now I definitely cannot wait to read other books by Mary Stewart! Particularly The Crystal Cave.
I actually started it a while back and then put it down to read other books. About a couple of days ago, I went back to reading it and am glad I did! The story is riveting and full of surprises! The ending it heart-wrenching (but in a good way). The characters are fun and you cheer for their's and Wolf's victory the entire time. Now I definitely cannot wait to read other books by Mary Stewart! Particularly The Crystal Cave.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews