Wolf by the Ears is a young adult novel by Ann Rinaldi

Ann Rinaldi

Ann Rinaldi is an American young-adult fiction author. She is best known for her historical fiction, including In My Father's House, The Last Silk Dress, An Acquaintance with Darkness, A Break with Charity, and Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons...

, first published in 1991. It is about a young girl, Harriet Hemings

Harriet Hemings

Harriet Hemings was born into slavery at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States, in the first year of his Presidency. Most historians believe her father is Jefferson, who is believed by many historians to have had a relationship with his mixed-race slave...

, who is a slave belonging to Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...

. She tries to decide if she wants to stay and be a slave or leave and take her freedom. While the whole time there are rumors about Thomas Jefferson being her father.

Wolf by the Ears won the 1994 Senior Young Reader's Choice Award

Young Reader's Choice Award

The Young Reader's Choice Award is an annual book award chosen by students from the Pacific Northwest. It is run by the Pacific Northwest Library Association, and was established in 1940, making it the oldest children's choice award in the U.S. and Canada....

.