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Parents' Guide to

Willodeen

By Mary Eisenhart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Cheer-worthy fable of animals, friendship, ecosystems.

Book Katherine Applegate Fantasy 2021
Willodeen Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Shirley H.
Shirley H. Parent of 6 and 9-year-old
March 28, 2023
age 2+

Love it!

Lauren A.
Lauren A. Parent of 7 and 9-year-old
February 12, 2023
age 12+
I read this book out loud to my 9 and 7 year old . I did not screen it properly and didn't know about the whole family perishing in a wildfire. The book is overall lovely, with rich visual language and wonderful messages. I think the event of her entire family perishing is too harsh for a youth book. I wonder about why this was the choice to create a grief stricken character, surely there are less intense ways. I am putting the age rating at 12+ for this reason. Unless this is something that has happened to a child, making Willodeen a character they can relate to, I have concern that it puts seeds of fear in young children. I modified the language , softening the memories about the fire- such as hearing her family scream as they died. this is a book that is part of DART, from BraveWriter, which is a lovely way to explore the linguistic elements of the book.
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Eleven-year-old WILLODEEN lives in the village of Perchance, where life revolves around the annual fall festival celebrating the hummingbears, cute little airborne critters like winged teddy bears. Since time immemorial they have come to build their bubble nests in the blue willow trees around the town, drawing hordes of admirers, including free-spending tourists. The tourists complain a lot about another group of animals, the screechers, who in addition to being noisy aren't much to look at and also make a fearful stink when frightened. Willodeen, the only survivor of a fire that killed her family when she was 6, loves all animals, but especially the screechers, and when the town decides to placate the tourists by putting a bounty on the screechers, she notes sadly that there's only one left -- and he's killed before her eyes by hunters intent on collecting a few coins. The two eccentric old ladies who've cared for her since she lost her family note that there is magic in tears born from anger, and perhaps she should find something useful to do with all that anger. As she ponders their words, a handcrafted toy screecher she's been given by her new friend Connor comes to life. Maybe it was those tears. But how are Willodeen and Connor going to keep Quinby, as they soon name the little screecher, safe? Especially since they're not exactly sure what she eats?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (3 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Katherine Applegate's tale of two tweens, their love for misunderstood creatures, and magic born of righteous fury will delight animal lovers and anyone who's ever been outraged by harm to innocents. Eleven-year-old characters Willodeen (orphaned, introverted, traumatized, a scientist at heart) and Connor (motherless, kindhearted, and a brilliant artist in the making) will have readers on the edge of their seats cheering their efforts as they strive to protect the baby screecher brought to life by Willodeen's tears. They'll also love the supporting cast of characters, from orphan hummingbear Duuzuu to the two old women who care for Willodeen, who enrich the story. Along the way, there's a lot of practical, accessible detail about symbiosis (a relationship between two unalike organisms), ecosystems, and how they work. Carlos Santoso's detailed, appealing illustrations enrich the story by bringing the characters and scenes to life.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about ecosystems and how they work. Do you think Willodeen offers a good illustration of this idea? What other stories do you know about people trying to improve the environment and care for the other species we share it with? Do you find their stories inspiring, or is it all too overwhelming to deal with?

  • In the story, the townsfolk set out to exterminate the screechers because their stinky ways are messing with the tourist trade. They offer a bounty on each one killed. What do you think of this idea as a way to address the issue?

  • Have you ever felt like Willodeen when she says that it seems like the whole village seems to have read the same rule book on friendship -- and then thrown it in the river before she could read it? What brought this feeling on? How did you deal with it?

Book Details

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