Tell the Wolves I'm Home in 2013 Hub Reading Challenge

Jan 15, 2013 Mary rated it really liked it

This novel combines two stories : the a coming of age of June along with the heartbreak of her family after their beloved uncle’s death. June Elbus is fourteen when her kind and immensely talented artist uncle dies from AIDS in 1987. For the shy dorky June Finn is the love of her life. When he realizes he is dying he talks his sister into doing a portrait of his nieces. He finishes it before his death and this portrait becomes a process whereby June, her sister and her mother confront their gri ...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Samantha Tai rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, yalsa-2013-hub-reading-challenge, 2013

Fourteen-year-old June's best friend is her Uncle Finn. He is her godfather, confidante, and the one who understands her best. When he is diagnosed with AIDS, he decides he wants to paint a portrait of June and her older sister, Greta, so every Sunday they visit him in New York City with their mother so that he can paint them. As their time together grows shorter and Finn completes the portrait, he comes up with ways to add to the portrait so that their Sunday visits don't come to an end.

Finally Fourteen-year-old June's best friend is her Uncle Finn. He is her godfather, confidante, and the one who understands her best. When he is diagnosed with AIDS, he decides he wants to paint a portrait of June and her older sister, Greta, so every Sunday they visit him in New York City with their mother so that he can paint them. As their time together grows shorter and Finn completes the portrait, he comes up with ways to add to the portrait so that their Sunday visits don't come to an end.

Finally the dreaded phone call came and June's world fell out from under her feet. At the funeral, June observe a strange man standing outside the funeral home, who Greta points out as Finn's boyfriend who isn't welcome at the funeral. A few days later a mysterious package arrives in the mail for June. Inside is Finn's beautiful teapot that they always used whe June visited Finn in NYC. The package also contains a note from Toby, the strange man from the funeral, who asks June for an opportunity to meet. June is reluctant to meet Toby, but agrees to meet with him at least once. This first meeting turns into a series of meetings and eventually into a very special but complicated friendship.

Tell the Wolves I'm Home takes place in 1987 when AIDS was still an unknown mysterious disease. People were in a panic because they didn't know whether they'd be able to catch the disease from someone who had it. June becomes so used to knowing people with AIDS, that it becomes a way of life for her. At one point, she gets annoyed at a police officer who calls it "the AIDS."

The relationship between June and her Uncle Finn and later between June and Toby is beautiful. June is reluctant to begin a friendship with Toby because he isn't Finn. Not only is he not Finn, but June didn't even know that Toby existed until after Finn dies. While she won't admit it, she is jealous that Finn had this whole life that she didn't know about. She realizes that she wasn't the most important thing to Finn and that causes her considerable hurt. For the most part, June looks beyond this and looks forward to her meetings with Toby.

Tell the Wolves I'm Home was one of 10 adult books that received the Alex Award from YALSA, the young adult branch of the American Library Association. While an adult book, this book was chosen because of it's teen appeal. I'm not sure which young adults I would recommend this book to, but I do think the appeal it there. This is a book I would have enjoyed if I'd read it when I was in high school and I know there are other teens who will enjoy it too. ...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Shannon rated it really liked it

Shelves: bookgroup

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. spoilers!!

I thought this story was very well written with great characterization and a new & compelling storyline. There were a few things that felt off to me - maybe I just didn't understand the bigger picture.
First - lying. Truth bad or good? It is acceptable for June to lie to her parents about skipping school to see Toby, and it's a good thing for Greta to lie to protect June, or June to lie to protect Greta. But when June does tell Great or her mother the truth, it's this great cleansing th spoilers!!

I thought this story was very well written with great characterization and a new & compelling storyline. There were a few things that felt off to me - maybe I just didn't understand the bigger picture.
First - lying. Truth bad or good? It is acceptable for June to lie to her parents about skipping school to see Toby, and it's a good thing for Greta to lie to protect June, or June to lie to protect Greta. But when June does tell Great or her mother the truth, it's this great cleansing thing. I mean, these aren't the "do I look fat in this" lies you tell, but smoking and drinking and contemplating going overseas.
Second - love. I'm not trying to trivialize the character's feelings, but June seems to merely have a bad case of puppy love for first Finn, and then Toby. Why is this such a big deal - as long as none of the parties act on a very inappropriate relationship? It seems more like infatuation than romantic love, especially being one-sided. And I don't get why June needed to admit to being in love with Finn at all. It felt a bit like beating a dead horse to me. I would think left alone, her feelings would gain perspective, and just become a normal part of growing up.
Third - June's guilt over Toby's death. June killed Toby by sending him into the woods after her sister, and that made her a murderer? The book seems to say Greta's situation was just an excuse for June to put Toby in danger. Even if part of her liked the idea of Toby making a grand gesture, and placing himself in danger with the wolves, it seems a stretch to say it makes her a murderer. That kind of scheming seems too convoluted for a 14-year-old girl. We all sometimes have thoughts or wishes that we think in selfish moments - such as Greta wishing Finn would die so she could have her sister to herself. But June seems to almost elevate herself with her guilt.
Fourth - the wolf thing. I get that the wolf symbolized jealousy, and ate at healthy relationships. But beyond that, it didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. "Maybe all I wanted was for Toby to hear the wolves that lived in the dark forest of my heart. And maybe that's what it meant. Tell the Wolves I'm Home." Is it just June coming to grip with the more animal side of her nature? And have someone accept her, faults and all?

My favorite part of the book was exploring all of June's relationships, especially with her sister. I think it's amazing that siblings can know each other better than anyone else in the world, especially in a case like this, when parents aren't always around. June knew Greta was silently calling for help, even when no one else could see it, and she was able to bring her back. ...more

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Aug 19, 2013 Jen MC rated it it was amazing

If you read only one book this year, let this be it.

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Jun 30, 2012 Emmaj rated it liked it

Shelves: 2012

Better that the other much buzzed about book of Summer 2012 (The Age of Miracles). Both books have young protagonists, but this one felt denser.
I did feel that, for 14, she was a bit of a naive idiot. And no, it wasn't that "times were different then" because the main character is just about my age (I was a teen in the 80s) and I remember.
Still, it was a great tale of first love and first loss and trying to negotiate growing up when you don't quite have all the pieces to figure things out. ...more

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