Product Description
From #1 New York Times bestseller Katherine Applegate, a singular middle-grade novel about a girl who risks everything to help a handmade creature who comes to life.The earth is old and we are not, and that is all you must remember . . .Eleven-year-old Willodeen adores creatures of all kinds, but her favorites are the most unlovable beasts in the land: strange beasts known as “screechers.” The villagers of Perchance call them pests, even monsters, but Willodeen believes the animals serve a vital role in the complicated web of nature.Lately, though, nature has seemed angry indeed. Perchance has been cursed with fires and mudslides, droughts and fevers, and even the annual migration of hummingbears, a source of local pride and income, has dwindled. For as long as anyone can remember, the tiny animals have overwintered in shimmering bubble nests perched atop blue willow trees, drawing tourists from far and wide. This year, however, not a single hummingbear has returned to Perchance, and no one knows why.When a handmade birthday gift brings unexpected magic to Willodeen and her new friend, Connor, she’s determined to speak up for the animals she loves, and perhaps even uncover the answer to the mystery of the missing hummingbears.A timely and timeless tale about our fragile earth, and one girl’s fierce determination to make a difference.
From School Library Journal
Gr 3-7-Applegate's latest fantasy is a simple but beautiful story about humans' relationship with the natural world. Orphaned Willodeen has never quite fit in with her peers. She loves all animals, but especially the widely despised screecher: a smelly creature with tusks, a snout, tails, and quills. She is happy keeping to herself until the screechers begin to disappear, mainly due to the bounty the town of Perchance has placed on them. The rest of the town is focused on the disappearance of the hummingbears, winged bears responsible for the tourist draw to Perchance. After witnessing the killing of an old screecher, Willowdeen's new friend Connor carves her one that is magically brought to life through her tears. Determined to save this last screecher, Willodeen finds the connection between the screechers and hummingbears and stands up for them at a town meeting. Red-haired Willowdeen is cued as white. Connor has brown skin. VERDICT A sweet fantasy about standing up for what you believe in. Hand to all young environmentalists.-Katharine Gatcomb, Nashua P.L., NHα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review
"Katherine Applegate’s “Willodeen,” like most fairy tales, takes place in a world that is familiar in its generalities and supernatural in its particulars. Applegate’s most inventive contribution, however, comes after the main business of the story has been resolved[:] It takes empathy to cherish all living things, no matter how small or ugly. But it takes imagination to recognize both the agonies and the marvels of the future that awaits us." ―The New York Times Book Review"Employing flawlessly simple, candid prose that belies deeper messages, Newbery Medalist Applegate again considers the complex relationship between humans and the natural world. ... Fiercely protective Willodeen is easy to champion, and her belief that “nature knows more than we do” is a message worth sharing." ―Publishers Weekly, starred review"Applegate’s gentle yet honest tale mixes magic with very real environmental messaging, both warning of human-caused harm and pointing to nature’s resilience and interconnectedness. ...Applegate empowers her young characters by not only granting them courage but also ensuring they earn the respect of their elders."―Booklist, starred review"This accessible fantasy offers hope as well as a tender examination of people re-learning to work together to care for one another and the world around them." ―The Horn Book Magazine"An endear

Categories:

• Children's Books
  
  
  • Science, Nature & How It Works
    
    
    • Nature
      • Environment