Book Spotlight: Whippoorwill Willingly

Are you in the mood for a magical story? I was sent a copy of Whippoorwill Willingly by Margaret Dulaney, a new middle grade book that just released earlier this month. I have read about 1/3 of the book so far and it is engaging and whimsical – perfect for this time of year!

Keep reading for more information about this book!

Wise beyond her years Whippoorwill Willingly finds herself suddenly swept up in a mysterious adventure in this charming exploration of classic storytelling. Popular spoken word artist and author Margaret Dulaney conjures a guided dream for those between the ages of nine and ninety-nine in Whippoorwill Willingly [Listen Well, Nov. 1, 2024]. 

Bid by a mysterious stranger to board an even more mysterious train, young Whippoorwill Willingly disembarks at an enchanted lake in the far reaches of the Swiss Alps. Each day’s discoveries will alter the course of her life, offering forever friendships of all varieties: two-legged, four-legged and winged. 

The book speaks to a hunger for the mystical world behind all of nature, with hints of nature spirits, angels and water sprites. It embraces the mystical view shared by many faiths and indigenous wisdom traditions, with great emphasis on the healing powers of the natural world.

“In 2020 I was in the middle of writing a nonfiction book on the difficulties of maintaining a hopeful attitude while experiencing a loved one’s clinical depression. The subject was clearly ponderous. And then in 2020, as you might recall, something came along that was rather trying globally, and I thought, ‘I don’t want to give my reading friends anything more troubling than what they are collectively dealing with today. I want to write a panacea.’” Dulaney shares.”I wanted to ship my audience off to a mystical summer camp in the mountains. I wanted to surround them with wise animals and lush gardens, I wanted to plunge them in a clear lake with mystical powers of healing.”

“This was when I began to hear the wry, rather practical voice of Whippoorwill Willingly telling me about her mystical journey to the Swiss Alps,” Dulaney says. “I took careful notes.”

Written in the classic style of such beloved favorites as The Secret Garden and A Little Princess, readers will be drawn into Whippoorwill’s world.

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This book will be great for middle grade readers or adults/people of any age looking for some magical storytelling!

*This book was sent to me, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.*