Whippoorwill - by Joseph Monninger (Paperback)

About the Book

Two New Hampshire teenagers fall into an unlikely relationship as they come together to save a mistreated dog. Whippoorwill is a deeply poignant story about the virulent nature of abuse and the power of human empathy.

Book Synopsis

"Unexpected, generous, and poignant." --Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of What I Thought Was True Sixteen-year-old Clair Taylor has neighbors who are what locals call whippoorwills, the kind of people who fill their yards with rusty junk. Clair tries to ignore her surroundings, choosing instead to dream of a future beyond her rural New Hampshire town. But, when a black dog named Wally is chained up to a pole next door, Clair can't look the other way. Clair decides to save Wally, and the immediate connection she has with the lovable dog catches her off-guard, but even more surprising is her bond with eighteen-year-old Danny Stewart, the boy next door.

One neglected dog. One misunderstood boy. One choice that changes everything.

• An Unforgettable Animal Rescue Story: Clair never intended to get involved. But when she sees Wally, a neglected black dog, chained up in the freezing cold, she knows she can't just stand by and watch.
• An Unlikely Friendship: She's always seen Danny Stewart as just another part of the junkyard landscape she's desperate to escape. She never expected him to be the one person who truly sees her.
• A Gritty Small Town Setting: In rural New Hampshire, where dreams feel as rusty as the junk in your neighbor's yard, finding a kindred spirit can feel like a miracle.
• Finding Your Voice: For a girl who has always felt invisible, standing up for a dog--and for the boy who helps her--is the first step toward discovering her own strength.

Review Quotes

* "Narrator Clair is absolutely believable as the girl who's stable yet also negotiating her own loss." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review "An unexpected, generous and poignant portrait of a girl, a boy, and the dog who brings them together." --Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of What I Thought Was True "Masterful! Heartwarming! I read it in one sitting. I could not put it down. One of the best YA novels I have read in years." --Roland Smith, bestselling author of Peak "Destined to become a classic. . . Whippoorwill is about the love and care and neglect and magical inter-species connections between an animal and members of a family, and it will both devastate and transform you. I love this book." --Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author of The Lemon Orchard "A bighearted, gorgeous, timely champion for empathy, kindness, and common courtesy." --Matthew Quick, New York Times bestselling author of The Silver Linings Playbook and Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock "Whippoorwill is an invitation to walk a mile in Wally's paws, and discover that sometimes there are strays of the human variety--and they, too, need love, compassion, and, most importantly, trust." --Jennifer Brown, author of Torn Away "A sweet story about a lucky dog that reveals itself to be a deeper story about a lucky human." --Kirkus * "The narrative adeptly portrays longing and belonging, and the heartbreak and hope of not only the human condition but the canine one as well. Monninger revitalizes the boy-and-dog trope in this sweet novel." --School Library Journal, starred review "A sweet, melancholy read for those whom a dog holds a special place in their hearts, and who might just wonder: in dog-human relationships, who rescues whom?" --Booklist "Recalls William H. Armstrong's Sounder, Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows, and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Shiloh. . . [it] will resonate most with animal lovers (I count myself among them), and readers who consider tears signs of a great ending." --The Boston Globe

About the Author

Joseph Monninger is an English professor and New Hampshire guide. He is the author of the young adult novels Finding Somewhere, Wish, Hippie Chick, and Baby. He also writes fiction and nonfiction for adults. He lives in Warren, New Hampshire.