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Cover of Vanya and the Wild Hunt. Girl on the back of a fantastical animal - it is a deer-like creature with antlers and wings. She is flying over a castle with minarets, and green forests, and mountains.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt

Written by alamancelibraries on . Posted in Book Reviews.

Cover of Vanya and the Wild Hunt. Girl on the back of a fantastical animal - it is a deer-like creature with antlers and wings. She is flying over a castle with minarets, and green forests, and mountains.

Mandanna, Sangu. Vanya and the Wild Hunt. New York : Roaring Brook Press, 2025.

If your child loves fantastical adventure books, they’ll love Vanya and the Wild Hunt!

Vanya can hear books talk. She also has ADHD, which is why she figures her parents wouldn’t believe her if she told them about her conversations with An Incomplete Guide to Good Manners, Lady Firoza’s Encyclopaedia of Flowers, and The Pocket Compendium of Poisons. But when she comes home early from school because she forgot her homework, she saves her parents from an Old One and find out there’s a lot they’ve been hiding from her, too.

Vanya’s mother is an archwitch, and her dad is an archivist. Her mother made a deal with an Old One years ago to keep Vanya safe, but someone else broke the agreement. Now that Vanya’s powers are known and the deal with the Old One is off, her parents decide to send her to Auramere, a school for young Archlings. Being the child of two powerful monster-hunters, she should be safer there, and will learn to harness and wield her powers.

At Auramere, Vanya lives with her parents’ best friends, Jasper and Roman, who are professors at the school. For the first time in her life, she finds school interesting, and she is excelling at her studies. But the Old Ones are stirring, and no one knows who is behind the attacks. There are sightings of The Wild Hunt, which shouldn’t be able to be in Auramere, unless the one controlling The Wild Hunt is one of them.

Vanya is a relatable heroine for kids. She gets herself in trouble, but has a huge heart and love for others. This story isn’t as complex as Rick Riordan’s books, making it something younger kids will enjoy before they’re ready for his series. I would recommend this book as a read aloud for younger children as well. I really enjoyed the story, and am looking forward to book two whenever it comes out.

Mary Beth A. is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries.

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