Stripes of the Sidestep Wolf
Stripes of the Sidestep Wolf is a 1999 young adult novel by Sonya Hartnett. It is about a young man, Satchel, living in a declining Tasmanian town and his encounter with a wild animal that may be a Thylacine. Thylacines - once native to mainland Australia and Papua New Guinea - make many appearances in Australian literature despite being extinct since 1936. Reception. "The Sunday Times", in its review of "Stripes of the Sidestep Wolf", wrote "Teenagers whose developing intellect is above the gossipy pap and illiterate dialogue that "young adult" writing sometimes embraces will find in  Hartnett's latest novel exact and thoughtful writing that gives localised events general resonance." and concluded "This book not only exercises the mind, but also stirs the heart." Booktrust wrote "Hartnett’s precise, graceful writing explores the tantalising potential of suspended lives. A hugely-absorbing book that repays slow reading, in which even small events are momentous". "Stripes of the Sidestep Wolf" has also been reviewed by "Kirkus Reviews", "Publishers Weekly", "Booklist" (starred review), "Horn Book Guide Reviews", "Voice of Youth Advocates", "School Library Journal", and "The Daily Telegraph". It is a , a 2006 Young Adult Library Services Association Best  Book for Young Adults, and a 2007 Co-operative Children's Book Center Book for Curious Kids and Teens.