Willowdeen

Willowdeen loves creatures – all animals whether attractive or not. Indeed, she is especially drawn to those seen as unpleasant pests by everyone else. Top of the list are the screechers, a species whose main characteristic is the most appalling smell and an horrific cry; so different from the adorable hummingbears. It is the hummingbears with their amazing bubble nests that attract tourists to the village of Perchance – the screechers are a deterrent so hunted. But things are not well with nature… Then Willowdeen rescues a screecher and a mission is born; Willowdeen must learn to speak up for the animals others hate and perhaps discover what has gone awry.

Applegate is a well-established, recognised author and her prose is immediately accessible to confident KS2 readers. She takes her story out of an immediate environment to one where strange creatures exist. This allows her to focus very clearly on themes around expectation, assumptions, appearance, difference as well as friendship, belief and right action. At the heart is the message that the world we live in is connected; action against one element will have much wider repercussions than anticipated. This is cleverly wrapped in an engaging narrative with an attractive protagonist. Willowdeen is a girl of curiosity, and she questions everything. She is determined to be self-sufficient. But the arrival of Connor with his imagination and creative talent brings something more to her life. Well produced with an attractively sized font, the page decorations by Charles Santoso add extra enjoyment to the text.