Whippoorwill

Whippoorwill     ****    (4/5) 
                                 Joseph Monninger - Realistic Fiction 

"It's a terrible thing to see someone be unkind to a pet or any animal...there's a victim on each end of the beating." (271)

Every year the local library has a book sale when the books are sold at ridiculously cheap prices and every year I seem to miss the sale...EXCEPT THIS YEAR!!!! A  grocery bag was $5 and you could take as many books as you could stuff in without busting it's seams. Lets just say I came home with more than a few bags full and Whippoorwill happened to be on of my book sale steels!  

First, I want to explain two things; one, for anyone who looks at the cover of this book and automatically tosses it aside presuming it's largely a book about a dog, you wouldn't be correct...or incorrect. Yes, the book highlights the journey of Willy from backyard garbage to beloved pet, but it also describes the journey of his owner, Danny,  and Clair, the neighbor who ultimately saves Willy from life on a chain.

Secondly, I wanted to explain what a "whippoorwill" is. A whippoorwill is a garbage collector. You know what I'm talking about, it's a house whose front lawn and backyard are filled with rusted, old cars or broken down farm equipment - garbage. 

---

---

Whippoorwill is about finding love and acceptance when you feel loneliest and most vulnerable. It's about stepping up to take action when you see something or someone in need of help, and most importantly it's about heartbreak. Doing what you know is right even when it breaks your heart. Whippoorwill is about being open-minded and accepting the fact that not all who appear bad are bad. Sometimes there is so much more going on behind close doors that our own personal hell is only a sliver of what others are dealing with. 

Whippoorwill is a good read for high school aged kids. It's an exploration of how what lies on the surface can be nothing more than a shield used as a deflector by those who need companionship and support. Danny is not the neighborhood bully that Clair presumed him to be. Rather, he's a boy without direction and without support. Just like Willy, a little attention and support given in the right way, can go a long way for someone struggling to find the right opportunities. It's also a good reminder that although we may try as hard as we can, our best efforts are not a guarantee of a favorable outcome. 

I loved mostly everything about this book; it's an easy read with a powerful message, and it's communicative to both dog lovers and non-dog lovers, however, I was a bit confused by Clair, the catalysis behind Wally's transformation. She seemed to be a bit naive for a 16 year old an somewhat underdeveloped in general. Other than that, Whippoorwill is a great read and I highly recommend it!