By Mrs. Hiltner

Ruby, L. (2019). Thirteen doorways, wolves behind them all.

One of five winners of this year’s National Book award for Young Adult Literature, Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind them All, is a historical fiction novel with a paranormal twist. Vito, Frankie, and Toni are forced to live in an orphanage after the loss of their mother. Their father’s shoe business is failing due to the Great Depression, but he still visits every weekend. What began as a temporary situation, becomes more permanent when their father remarries and moves away with his new wife – taking only Vito.

The sisters Frankie and Toni find themselves left behind, unwanted and betrayed. And with impending war, poverty reigns. What will happen to them?

I will admit I do not know the answer. But I will be watching, waiting to find out.

That’s what ghosts do.

The dual perspectives of the book, with its many twists and turns, move the plot along quickly. What we keep behind closed doors to protect others, is true evil – and true to it’s title, there is a wolf behind every door.