The Wolf Keepers by Elise Broach

The Wolf Keepers is a junior fiction novel by Elise Broach. Twelve-year-old Lizzie Durango gets to live at the zoo because her father is a zookeeper. Of all the animals, she's most interested in the new wolves. One day while waiting for lunch, Lizzie spots a boy who seems to be secretly making the zoo his home. Lizzie befriends Tyler and the two of them work together to find out why the wolves keep getting sick. They soon find themselves on an adventure in the Yosemite wilderness.

Sex: None. Lizzie remarks that her father sometimes goes out with Karen, the zoo vet. She mentions that Karen "never stays the night."

Language: Mild.

Drug/Alcohol Use: Tyler's biological mother is a drug addict.

Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are some suspenseful scenes. Some of the wolves are sick and appear to have died. Lizzie's mother died when she was a newborn and Tyler's mother is in rehab.

Final Note: What a great book! Although it's not technically historical fiction, the author shares a lot of true history about John Muir and Yosemite. My one reservation about this book is how much Lizzie lies to her dad and sneaks around. In fact, there are a few secrets she keeps throughout the whole book and never tells her dad. In her defense, she often says how guilty she feels about lying to her dad and sneaking around. Other than that, this was a wonderful book with lots of adventure and history.