Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf

Ages 10 to 14, Grades 5 to 9

Benji Zeb has to balance preparing for his bar mitzvah, his feelings for a school bully, and being a werewolf in this heartfelt, coming-of-age novel for middle-grade readers, now available in paperback. For fans of Sydney Taylor-honor book Don't Want to Be Your Monster and Too Bright to See.

Benji Zeb has a lot going on. He has a lot of studying to do, not only for school but also for his upcoming bar mitzvah. He's nervous about Mr. Rutherford, the aggressive local rancher who hates Benji's family's kibbutz and wolf sanctuary. And he hasn't figured out what to do about Caleb, Mr. Rutherford's stepson, who has been bullying Benji pretty hard at school, despite Benji wanting to be friends (and maybe something more). And all of this is made more complicated by the fact that, secretly, Benji and his entire family are werewolves who are using the wolf sanctuary as cover for their true identities! 

Things come to a head when Caleb shows up at the kibbutz one night . . . in wolf form! He's a werewolf too, unable to control his shifting, and he needs Benji's help. Can anxious Benji juggle all of these things along with his growing feelings toward Caleb?

Story Locale:US Pacific Northwest

About the Author

DEKE MOULTON is a writer currently living in the US Pacific Northwest. They are a former US Army drill sergeant and trained as an Arabic linguist during their time in service. Deke is the author of Don't Want to Be Your Monster, which was a 2024 Sydney Taylor Honor Book.

Author Residence: Washington, USA