“The earth is old and we are not, and that is all you must remember.”
Eleven-year-old Willodeen is an old soul wrapped in youthful determination. She loves nature and all of its creatures – especially the ones that others find distinctly unlovable. In fact, she much prefers the company of screechers (think of a cross between a warthog, a beaver, and a skunk) to the company of humans.
“Nature, Willodeen, knows more than we do, and she probably always will.”
In Perchance, the townspeople have no time for screechers who screech at night and fill the air with their trademark stench. They scare away the tourists who come to see the adorable little hummingbears in their glistening bubble nests. With these two invented species, Applegate has set up the perfect dichotomy – cute, lovable, and money-making vs. ugly, smelly, and scary. In the minds of the villagers, a bounty on screechers is the perfect solution. No screechers, more tourists – everyone will be happy. Everyone, except the young naturalist Willodeen who understands her late father’s words about the fundamental wisdom of Nature.
“Don’t stop being angry, Willodeen. It’s part of who you are. You see the world differently. You care. That’s a gift.”
There are three humans who understand and appreciate Willodeen. Mae and Birdie are her caretakers, two old women who took her in when her family died in a long-ago fire. And Connor is her friend, an artist who makes models of animals he calls puzzlers out of scraps of nature. It is one of Connor’s puzzlers – a model screecher – that comes to life through the magic of Willodeen’s angry tears and teaches her the importance of balance in Nature.
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” William Shakespeare, via Katherine Applegate
As it turns out, Willodeen is right to be angry about the disappearance of the screechers.
She discovers their importance to the overall ecosystem in general, and the habitat for hummingbears in particular. No screechers, no hummingbears, no tourist economy. But can she get the adults of Perchance to listen to her? With the support of Mae, Birdie, and Connor, Willodeen is able to do does just that.
Author Katherine Applegate has an amazing ability to weave beautiful stories around serious subjects, inviting families and classrooms to explore, discuss, and learn. Willodeen is no exception. Within its 260 pages, your students will find themes of family, friendship, loyalty, and integrity to go along with the environmental conservation storyline. Charles Santoso’s illustrations only add to the magic. As with The One and Only Ivan, Wishtree, and Crenshaw, adults and children will hold onto Willodeen well after the story’s beautiful conclusion.
