The family at the center of Werewolf Hamlet is the star of the novel for me. They are all quirky, loveable, occasionally baffled by circumstances, but support each other in the only ways they can. Angus is an outcast in school, but is unapologetic about his hobbies and interests, which makes the flagging support of his older brother that much more hurtful. The werewolf trope is particularly apt for a teen whose actions, attitude and even outward appearance are changing, and not for the better in the eyes of his younger sibling. The part of the story I find less sensible is Hamlet. What with all the references to old Hollywood, Harry Houdini and even the different eras of music, I feel like the author could have found another piece of art to represent Angus and Liam's experiences. This book is chock-full of references, and most are of an age to be confusing to young readers, so adding in one of Shakespeare's most complicated works doesn't help the plot. However, the characters shine through, and the ending is hopeful, while remaining realistic about the difficult circumstances.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions written are completely honest and my own.

An entertaining coming of age story about a 5th grader trying to use his love over old movie and Shakespeare insults to make sense of the changes in his life.

I enjoy the addition of the night conversations between brothers. They really cement the relationship that once was and also the current vibe.

Get ready to order ahead a middle-grade-and-up book (out on February 18) that casts a realistic look at the dynamics when an addiction problem piles on top of other family issues. Kerry Madden-Lunsford’s new book Werewolf Hamlet takes the reader there.

Picture a rather nerdy 10-year-old Angus, obsessed with Hamlet, who goes around spouting Shakespearean curses to the detriment of his standing among his more regular schoolmates. Add a family financial struggle that becomes personification of “four closers.” Throw in a distant older sister Hannah who is ready to leave the trauma and move to Maine, and you still haven’t gotten to the main difficulty. While that problem might commonly be phrased as “Angus’s 17-year-old brother Liam is struggling with addiction.” The truth is that Angus seems to be the one struggling while Liam makes promises he doesn’t keep and wheedles Angus to loan him money and cover for him when he is not where he is supposed to be. Angus sees the brother, whom he has looked up to and bonded with in the past, becoming like a werewolf. In the harsh reality, the problem belongs to each member of the family with each of them responding in their own manner.

In the midst of this home crisis, life goes on. Angus finds himself in the usual middle school chaos looking for identity and status as he jostles with the “in” group to promote his original play, “Werewolf Hamlet”, as his fifth grade legacy project. The realism has the reader waffling between seeking to warn Angus not to be taken in by Liam’s false promises, laughing at snippets about the “four closers,” hurting with the family struggles, and caring about each member of the family. The story line is interspersed with remembered conversations between Liam and Angus.

In case you would like to know the rest of the story and how Kerry Madden-Lunsford was able to draw such a lifelike picture of what addiction does to a family, Elizabeth Dulemba has a wonderful author interview on her website at www.dulemba.blogspot.com, giving the personal author background that brought her to write this story – the hard parts, the nostalgic parts, and the funny parts. Check the section marked “Book Blogs and Interviews” and scroll down to find Werewolf Hamlet.

I was able to read this book in an ARC furnished by Net Galley. I am already seeing other rave reviews from people who were able to read it pre-publication. It will be out February 18 so you can preorder now for quick delivery.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I like the main character’s wit and tenacity. I found the older brother’s lack of empathy and narcissism disturbing, more so since the parents do so little to mitigate the harm to their other children caused by the older brother’s toxic behavior.

In Kerry Madden-Lunsford's "Werewolf Hamlet,” 10-year-old Angus struggles to make sense of his crumbling world. In short scenes, we see how his erratic and often cruel older brother interacts with his family. With his parents about to default on their mortgage, they must pack up the family home and move on to a more affordable home.

Angus and his three siblings each must face the challenge in their own ways. Angus regularly quotes Shakespeare. Rather than fully see his older brother’s battle with addiction, Angus wonders if he’s in fact a werewolf. He merges the ideas together and proposes that he write and direct a production of “Werewolf Hamlet” for his class’s end of the year project.

The author wrote a thought-felt afterward, and they explain they wrote this book in part to help children understand the struggles that addiction causes to an addict’s entire family. Particularly with that lens in mind, I highly recommend this wonderful middle grade novel.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for this ARC.*

I wanted to give ten-year-old Angus a hug! This poor kid goes on quite a heavy emotional journey, with parents struggling with financial troubles and facing foreclosure, a brother who develops both alcohol and substance abuse (along with lying and manipulation of the main character), and Angus being constantly compared to his older siblings by his teachers, often by asking why he can't be more like them. There is a lot of hope, though, and this book will be very important to young readers struggling with their own older siblings or family members going through similar trauma.

10-year-old, Shakespeare-obsessed Angus is worried about his older brother. Liam is 17, sneaking out at night, and getting into all kinds of scary trouble. Sometimes he changes into a completely different person like a werewolf. Angus, tasked with creating a legacy project for school decides to do something about it. He draws up a storyboard for a version of his favorite play (Hamlet) where Hamlet turns into a werewolf whenever he gets ready. If Liam sees this play and recognizes how much werewolf hamlet hurts his friends and family, maybe Liam will also realize how much HE is hurting his friends and family. Unfortunately, Liam's teacher thinks werewolves and Hamlet are inappropriate for fifth grade. On top of all that, his family is having money troubles and a dangerous band of monsters the Four Closers lurk just around the corner, ready to pounce and steal the family house at any second. This adorable, thought-provoking, and often hilarious tale told through the eyes of an innocent child, is perfect for any child dealing with difficult life issues. It’s also a fantastic read to help kids learn empathy for children in situations different from their own. Bonus points for presenting Shakespeare to children in a palatable and exciting new way.

This was lovely. It was full of heart and family, with that mix of frustration and arguments and love and misplaced worry and huge, heavy concerns that aren't quite ever resolved (money problems, a sick pet, house foreclosure, addiction) seen through the eyes of a fifth grader. I loved also the way Hamlet was integrated, and how Angus explained why he thought of werewolves related to Hamlet and the interpretations he took of the play, and how that in turn related to his brother. It all made sense in the context of his real life and was incredibly genuine. Really really well done. I would recommend this book to people who enjoyed The Wednesday Wars for the same reasons.

Angus has quite the imagination and talent. I enjoyed the book. I was hoping though that there would be some sort of resolution for Angus and school and learning in comparison to his older siblings. But the situation with Liam and teen addiction is subtly handled and that families can hit hard times but find ways to stay together is done well.

Werewolf Hamlet is a chapter book for middle grade level readers. It's a little bit Shakespeare and a lot of heart. The story follows a 10 year old theater kid as his family goes through struggling situations. This book delicately handles difficult situations.

I enjoyed this book immensely. Angus is a brilliant narrator and the story is humorous and touching as it examines the relationships within the family as their lives change drastically. It is definitely a story that some kids can relate to and a book that will charm readers with its funny moments and Shakespearean quotes.

It was a good book. A good first novel for middle grade about a lot of teens subjects as growing up and living with older brother and sister in their 16s'/17s'.

A good moment reading it

This is a cute, middle-grade novel that combines humor, heart, and a touch of Shakespearean flair. The story follows 10-year-old Angus, a theater enthusiast with a penchant for quoting Shakespeare, as he navigates the complexities of family life and his evolving relationship with his older brother, Liam.

Angus is a wonderful character whose passion for drama shines through his ambitious idea to stage a Werewolf Hamlet for his fifth-grade legacy project. You can't help but root for him as he confronts the challenges in front of him.

The relationship between Angus and Liam is central to the story, capturing both sibling love and rivalry.

Thank you Net Galley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a review.

Cute middle grade book featuring a theatrical 10-year-old protagonist who loves Shakespeare and Old Hollywood. However, I didn’t like the way the parents treated the older brother who was developing a drinking problem. I try not to criticize MG too hard because obviously, I’m not the target audience, but I felt like the whole Liam plotline could have been handled a lot better. The ending was less than satisfactory, though I was glad Angus got to perform Werewolf Hamlet.

Werewolf Hamlet is a touching, funny, and heartfelt middle-grade novel that balances family drama with a love of theater. Angus, the quirky 10-year-old protagonist, is impossible not to root for as he quotes Shakespeare and works on his 5th grade project: staging a werewolf version of Hamlet. The real heart of the story, though, is Angus's relationship with his troubled older brother Liam, whose unpredictable behavior feels as wild as a werewolf’s mood swings. The family dynamics are handled sensitively, making the story both relatable and full of emotion. It's definitely perfect for readers who enjoy books like Better Nate Than Ever that mix humor with deeper themes.

This is the adventurous story of a little kid Angus who quotes Shakespeare and has little to no idea why his seventeen year old older brother Liam is snarky all the time. He is struggling with the tension in his family regarding his parents, his older sister Hannah getting fed up with them all and a little sister who doesn’t understand anything yet.

He has this entire responsibility upon him to fix things as he can when his brother goes missing and has to stage his play “Werewolf Hamlet”. This plays a huge role in fixing the gap between him and his brother.

I find the notes in between (text messages between him and Liam) quite endearing and adorable!

The parents are little crazy and too busy which I can understand with four kids. But yes it gets a bit too much in the story now and then.

But yes all’s well that ends well!

The writing is good, fast paced with amazing character development.

Thank you, Charlesbridge Moves, for the ARC.