Wildoak

By: C.C. Harrington

Narrated by: Camilia O'Grady

Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Maggie Stephens’s stutter makes school especially hard. She will do almost anything to avoid speaking in class or calling attention to herself. So when her unsympathetic father threatens to send her away for so-called “treatment,” she reluctantly agrees to her mother’s intervention plan: a few weeks in the fresh air of Wildoak Forest, visiting a grandfather she hardly knows. It is there, in an extraordinary twist of fate, that she encounters an abandoned snow leopard cub, an exotic gift to a wealthy Londoner that proved too wild to domesticate. But once the cub’s presence is discovered by others, danger follows, and Maggie soon realizes that time is running out, not only for the leopard, but for herself and the forest as well.

Told in alternating voices, Wildoak shimmers with beauty, compassion, and unforgettable storytelling as it explores the delicate interconnectedness of the human, animal, and natural worlds.

©2022 C.C. Harrington (P)2022 Scholastic Inc

A Powerful Story

Wildoak is an utterly beautiful book about a young girl seeking to find her voice and an endangered but determined snow leopard. I absolutely loved this gem of a story! Set in London and Cornwall during 1963, Harrington tells the story of Maggie, a girl with a stutter who is sent to spend time with her grandfather in Cornwall. Her father seeks a "cure" for Maggie's stutter and says that if she has not improved after her visit with her grandfather, she will be sent to an institution. While growing to trust her grandfather and exploring her surroundings, Maggie encounters a snow leopard caught in a trap. How did a snow leopard come to Wildoak Forest? When a plot is uncovered, Maggie must find the strength to confront danger and the voice to help her new friend.
Wildoak is an empowering gem of a book. i love how gracefully Harrington handles Maggie's stutter. The relationship between Maggie and Rumpus, (the snow leopard), is utterly adorable.
This book is about the interconnectedness of us all. As the ancient oak communicates to Maggie; Be gentle with yourself. It is hard to be human. Indeed it is! However, as Maggie's grandfather also says, "We do what we can".
I love that Harrington provides no easy answers and that she offers no "cure" for Maggie's stutter. Maggie's differences are integral to her personality. Wildoak, like all great books about disability, highlight uniqueness and the purpose of all people in the world to make a difference.

Camilia O'Grady is a superb narrator. She brings the characters vividly to life. I loved her portrayal of Maggie, her insidious, oily portrayal of Lord Foy, and the portrayal of Fred. O'Grady is very talented, and I look forward to hearing more of her work in the future.

Wildoak is thoroughly recommended! Like Lynda Hunt's Fish in a Tree or Pam Munoz Ryan's Becoming Naomi Leon, this book was well deserving of the Schneider Family Book Award it received. It will encourage young people who have differences and will touch many hearts. Please keep books like these coming!
Happy listening, and God bless you all.

Amazing Story!

This audiobook is an enthralling tale that old and young can both fully enjoy and learn from!