Werewolf Hamlet

Humor, heart, and Shakespeare abound in this middle-grade novel about Angus, a 10-year-old theater fanatic, his struggling family, and his changing relationship with big brother Liam.

Perfect for fans of books that handle difficult subjects and family dynamics in a sensitive way, like Better Nate Than Ever and Rule of Threes.

10-year-old Angus is unique. He quotes Shakespeare and wants to stage a Werewolf Hamlet play for his 5th grade legacy project. Angus's 17-year-old brother, Liam, is like a werewolf now--Angus never knows if he'll be nice or mean or when he'll sneak out to get drunk or worse.

Meanwhile, tension continues to build for Liam's family in Los Angeles. Mom and Dad are going to default on the mortgage. Older sister Hannah is fed up and ready to move herself to Maine, and little sister Sidney doesn't really get what's happening. Then Liam goes missing, and Angus decides he has to find him.

A realistic, heartfelt look at the complexities of family relationships and struggles. Along with Angus's loveable charm, sense of humor, and desire to stage his original play, Werewolf Hamlet is sure to win its audience--on and off the page--over.

Author: Kerry Madden-Lunsford
Publisher: Charlesbridge Moves
Published: 02/18/2025
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 8.60h x 6.10w x 1.40d
ISBN: 9781623544331
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 3.9
Point Value: 8
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 552792 / Werewolf Hamlet


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 12/01/2024
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 02/01/2025
Booklist 01/01/2025 pg. 86
School Library Journal 01/17/2025 pg. 1
Shelf Awareness 02/22/2025

About the Author
Kerry Madden-Lunsford is a regular contributor to the LA Times OpEd page. For several years, she directed the creative writing program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she is still a professor, and she taught in Antioch University's MFA program in Los Angeles for a decade. She is the author of the picture book Ernestine's Milky Way. She also wrote the Maggie Valley Trilogy, which includes Gentle's Holler, Louisiana's Song, and Jessie's Mountain. Her first novel, Offsides, was a New York Public Library Pick for the Teen Age. Kerry is the mother of three adult children, and she now lives full-time in Birmingham, Alabama.