Screechers. Hummingbears. Peacock snails.
I’m always amazed when writers seem to effortlessly bring a fantastical world to life, and Katherine Applegate is a master at it. I came across it first in Crenshaw (one of the top 5 chapter books I read in 2020); Willodeen left me awestruck.
Willodeen plays out in a world very much like our own. In some ways, it is an older world, which has a Faire, and a steam engine chugging through the woods. It stands for our world, though, and the climate crisis that threatens to crush us all. What is most striking is how the author draws us into this fantastical world. Without the details ever coming at us like an info dump, we learn every aspect of this world: from the ugly, stinky screechers that cry out at night to the gorgeous hummingbears that blow bubbles that stick to a tree.
Gently, sensitively, she makes us care for the unloved. She reminds us that every creature has its place in the world. When we interfere, deciding that one beast is more valuable than another, we upset the balance, and this leads to consequences that are far beyond our understanding.
In this gorgeous story, she brings together characters we fall in love with, a brilliantly drawn setting, and a story that keeps us engaged. Could any book do more?
| Title | Willodeen |
| Author Illustrator | Katherine Applegate Charles Santoso |
| Tags | Fantasy, Middle Grade, Climate Fiction |
| Ages | 10+ |
| Rating (out of 5) | 5 |
Other books by Katherine Applegate I’ve read and loved:
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