The young white girl narrating this somber story lives with her mom and the big bad wolf, her stepfather. He howls at her mom and hurts them both. “When he left finger marks on my arm, I had to cover them up with long sleeves, even when it was hot out.” The blankets she gathers around her head to block out the sounds of yelling and breaking are as useless as a pile of straw; her bedroom door is a barrier of wood he ignores. Finally, she builds a fort of bricks around her heart and closes her eyes. “My eyes opened the day my mother handed me a suitcase filled with my things. 'We’re leaving,’ she said.” It’s a moment of such relief. The house they go to has a nice woman to welcome them, and a kitchen full of other mothers and other children. “But no wolves.” This affecting story about domestic violence and child abuse uses obvious metaphors—including the stepfather illustrated as a literal wolf in the muted gouache and digital illustrations. The girl’s voice quiet voice is riveting, while the story’s lasting impact is its sense of hope. (Ages 4-8)