Willodeen -- Katherine Applegate

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.

Author: Katherine Applegate
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: 09/07/2021
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 7.40h x 5.28w x 1.18d
ISBN: 9781250147400
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.2
Point Value: 4
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 512800 / Willodeen


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 07/12/2021
Kirkus Reviews 08/15/2021
Booklist 07/01/2021 pg. 87
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 09/01/2021
School Library Journal 10/01/2021 pg. 81
Horn Book Magazine 11/01/2021 pg. 95

About the Author
Katherine Applegate is the New York Times bestselling author of Wishtree, Crenshaw, and Home of the Brave, all from Feiwel & Friends, as well The One and Only Ivan, winner of the Newbery Medal, and its sequel The One and Only Bob. She lives in Southern California with her family.