The Wolves of Greycoat Hall: Boris in Switzerland
A romp of a read, with an ingenious mystery to solve, and packed with endearing illustrations.
Boris is attending the Institute of International Excellence, a fancy Swiss boarding school while his parents are staying with Great Aunt Orfilia. Although worried about being the only wolf, and having to navigate around the rude vice principal, he quickly makes friends, learns how to “log in” and heli-board, and has plentiful supply of cake, Boris can’t shake the idea that something funny is going on . . .
Creators
Lucinda Gifford is the author and illustrator of many well-loved children’s books. She was brought up in the north of Scotland, where there are a million times more seagulls than humans. To get away from the seagulls, Lucinda went to Edinburgh to study architecture. After this she had a fantastically successful career in advertising, coming up with over-the-top campaign ideas and doodling masterpieces on a big pad of paper. Years later, Lucinda realised that her favourite things were doodling and exaggerating. So she put some of her best drawings and most unlikely stories in a folio and started looking for work in children’s books.
Lucinda has since illustrated over 30 books, eight of which she has also written. She lives in Melbourne, Australia. But sometimes, from her studio, she can still hear the squawk of the gulls and the roar of the North Sea. Her favourite things to draw include wolves, dragons and castles.
Reviews
Adventure abounds, mystery and treachery are discovered, and good friendships are formed, making this a terrific book best suited to 8 to 11 year-olds.
Lamont Books
I love that Boris is back – and this time in a new place, with new friends. And with a brilliant mystery to boot! …The other thing I loved was the diversity and celebration of everyone for who they are, and the way Boris was loyal to his friends and shared with them and made sure they could always spend time with him. He’s such a wonderful friend, he’s able to be there for his friends and help them, which means they will always be there for each other and will do anything to come together – and I loved that they believed him and backed him up. The representation throughout the novel reflects a very internationally diverse world, with characters from different backgrounds, boys, girls, and a main character – Lotta – who is disabled. She was one of my favourites, and I loved that Boris cared so much about her – it was great to see that. At its heart, this book carried a message of friendship, family, and following your snout when it comes to suspecting something. The loyalty that came through the novel and the intriguing clues and discoveries made this novel one that I found hard to put down because I wanted to know what was going to happen and how Boris was going to solve the mystery. I can’t wait to see where the third one goes and if we get to see more of Boris’s new friends!.
Ashleigh Meikle
… full of imagination, humour, action, and clever language and visual elements… Adults will enjoy Boris in Switzerland as much as kids. Top marks!
Kids Book Review
Well-written and full of super illustrations, this wolfish adventure of heroes and villains is a delight from start to finish. Great characters, an intriguing mystery to solve, lots of delicious Swiss food, and themes of inclusivity, diversity, friendship, family and bullying will have readers gobbling up this as quickly as Boris devours a cheese platter.
A Word About Books
