The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Michelle Paver.

This Children’s middle-grade series is set in stone age Europe (or a place an awful lot like stone age Europe). The books follow the adventures of an orphaned boy, Torak, who befriends a wolf cub. As the series title suggests, these are light-hearted books … no, just kidding. Torak and Wolf have to work together to face an evil darkness that threatens the forest.

My favorite part of the books are the scenes written in the point of view of Wolf. I don’t know how real wolves think, but she makes it darn believable it sounds like this. If you have a reader in the eleven to thirteen range on your holiday shopping list, you should try these books. I’m four books into the series and can promise it won’t disappoint!