The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken is a witty alternative history series set in the 1800s we highly recommend for readers aged 9+ looking for something imaginative and full of rollercoaster adventures.
It's the 1830s. Good King James III is on the throne and the Stuarts still reign. The tunnel between Dover and Calais has been created, and wolves have migrated through, coming from Europe and ravaging England. Each book in this series has its own exciting plot and unique set of characters, with most of the stories surrounding Dido Twite, an adventurer and explorer, and Simon, Duke of Battersea. You do not have to read these books in order, though it would be beneficial to from book 2 onwards.
Get ready to join in these characters' adventures, from escaping evil governesses at orphan colleges to travelling through jungles in America and claiming the throne. These books are a true a helter-skelter of battles, vicious villains and mysterious monsters, packed full of magic and humour.
If you enjoyed this series and are looking for something new to read set in the past, do check out our Best Historical Fiction Series for 9 and 10 year olds blog post.
All The Wolves of Willoughby Chase books in order:
Book 1: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1962)
Book 2: Black Hearts in Battersea (1964)
Book 3: Nightbirds on Nantucket (1966)
Book 4: The Stolen Lake (1981)
Book 5: Dangerous Games (1998)
Book 6: The Cuckoo Tree (1971)
Book 7: Dido and Pa (1986)
Book 8: Is Underground (1992)
Book 9: Cold Shoulder Road (1995)
Book 10: Midwinter Nightingale (2003)
Book 11: The Witch of Clatteringshaws (2005)