Book Review of The City Wolves and the Mauritius Kestrel
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The Children’s Book Review
The City Wolves and the Mauritius Kestrel
Written and illustrated by Simon Weber
Ages: 9-12 | 198 Pages
Publisher: OGMA Publishing GmbH (2025) | ISBN: 978-3-907712-00-9 (Hardback)
What to Expect: Friendship, problem-solving, family, Swiss culture, adventure.
Set in a modern Swiss city, this classic kids’ adventure mystery story features a gang of middle-grade sleuths with both determination and smarts on their side.
The seven members of the City Wolves gang live a pretty good life, with only the rival gang, the Seagulls, to pose a serious challenge to their fun. However, when a rare and valuable piece of taxidermy is stolen from a local museum, the City Wolves know they have to help get it back—not least because one of the boys’ mothers is the museum curator and stands to lose her job if the Kestrel is not returned.
The suspects are a strange bunch: a mean biology teacher who hates the museum director, a secretary with a moral objection to taxidermy, her almost-identical brother, and, of course, the Seagulls. Then, more trouble arrives—the Seagulls have framed another of the Wolves’ mothers for theft. Will the City Wolves’ penchant for problem-solving, deciphering clues, and working together be enough to save their families from serious trouble?
The City Wolves, as the main characters, are engaging and charismatic—their high standards, family ethic, and determination never to stoop as low as their enemies do, make them a remarkable group. They model critical thinking, compassion, and creativity for readers. The story is fast paced, with enough twists and unexpected turns to keep readers engaged and excited until the final pages. Along the way, they’ll find themselves immersed in Swiss culture, learning about how Swiss kids go to school, what they eat, and what life in a Swiss city looks like.
Following a long tradition of stories featuring friendship gangs, The City Wolves and the Mauritius Kestrel is an exciting and instructive adventure.
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About the Author
Simon Weber writes literature for children and young adults. He spent part of his childhood in the United States but has lived in Switzerland for many years—and still loves it. He and his family of six, along with their dog, make their home in the green hills of Eastern Switzerland.
An avid reader with a lifelong passion for books, Simon enjoys writing the kind of stories he loved as a kid.
For more information, visit simonweber.org.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of The City Wolves and the Mauritius Kestrel. Learn more about getting a book review …
