From the inside cover:

A snow leopard.
A child.
An ancient forest.

When fates collide, the unimaginable can happen…

In 1963 London, 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. Perfect for fans of Pax and The One and Only Ivan.



Praise for Wildoak

“Harrington packs her memorably atmospheric debut with compelling issues, but her sharply felt portrayals of two vulnerable youngsters of different species bonding as they find their ways in hostile worlds will make the deepest impression.”

• Kirkus STARRED REVIEW

  
  

“Themes of compassion and conservation form the heartbeat of Harrington’s eloquent 1963 England-set debut…Both character arcs sparkle with life thanks to Harrington’s poignant, immersive prose. Maggie’s work to speak in defense of Rumpus and Wildoak resounds with realism, building to a nuanced and empowering ending that reverberates with foresight.”

• Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

“This tender and hopeful story, with a whisper of magical realism, reminds the reader that everyone struggles with something. C.C. Harrington’s prose is beautiful, and she writes with a deep affection for the natural world. Wildoak reads like a classic. I loved it.”

• Pam Muñoz Ryan, author of the bestsellers Esperanza Rising and Echo, a Newbery Honor Book

“In Maggie, C.C.Harrington has created a complex and nuanced protagonist. It is rare to encounter a character whose stutter is not portrayed as an obstacle to be overcome, but instead is an important part of her that is embraced and celebrated. Maggie is a relatable heroine who we can emphasize with and be inspired by as we follow her trajectory from a place of pain and heartache to one of self-realization and fierce independence. Throughout it all, she stutters. Her stutter is part of who she is, but it does not define or limit her. We need more characters like Maggie.”

• Taro Alexander, founder of SAY : The Stuttering Association for the Young

  
  
  

"Wildoak is one of those novels that makes us believe that the world may well be as mysterious and as lovely and as possible as we had hoped. Maybe we can speak to animals in ways we never anticipated, and maybe we can sense consciousness in places we had never imagined, and maybe deep hurts can be overcome--the hurts of war, of humiliation, of pride. The rambunctious and sometimes frightening and sometimes incredibly funny story of Maggie and Rumpus is a story of how we might connect more deeply and more humanly--and so it is a story of immense hope.”

• Gary Schmidt, best-selling author of Just Like That and The Wednesday Wars, a Newbery Honor Book

  
  
  

“Such a wonderful book of animals and the magic of nature. I was brought to tears too many times, remembering what it was like to struggle in a world that couldn’t listen. I loved this book and can’t wait for another generation of readers to fall in love with reading because of this magical story.”

• Revati Kilaparti, Old Firehouse Books, Fort Collins, CO

“This immersive read crackles with gorgeous descriptions and heart-racing action. Maggie is a fierce and kindhearted protector of the natural world. Her own severe stutter is thoughtfully and realistically portrayed as one part of the story’s larger exploration of what it means to find the courage to speak for those who cannot by first discovering your own self-worth. Readers will cheer as Maggie and Rumpus team up to patiently guide them into a world of bravery and belonging they will never forget!”  

• Nancy Tandon, MA, CCC-SLP

  
  
  

“A well-told journey of finding one’s voice with the help of a beautiful snow leopard.”

• Vince Vawter, author of Paperboy, a Newbery Honor book

To learn more about some of the extraordinary organisations that helped to inspire and inform Christina as she wrote Wildoak, please visit the following:

The Jane Goodall Institute - Roots & Shoots USA is the youth action program of the Jane Goodall Institute. It’s mission is to empower young people to enable change within their own local communities.

Panthera Co-founded by Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, Panthera is a non profit organisation dedicated to ensuring a future for wild cats and the vast landscape on which they depend.

SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young A national non-profit organization that empowers, educates, and supports young people who stutter and the world that surrounds them.

The Stuttering Foundation of America provides free online resources, services and support to those who stutter and their families, as well as support for research into the causes of stuttering.

The American Institute for Stuttering is a non profit offering expert speech therapy and community support for people of all ages who stutter.

The Woodland Trust - the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity.

Young reader reviews:

“This book is amazing! I couldn’t stop reading it! This is the type of story you might be found reading at night under your blanket with a flashlight. I give it 10 stars. (And yes, I know it’s out of 5.)”

• Madeline A, aged 11, 5th grade

“The moment I started reading this book I knew I would not forget it. I had never thought about how people with a stutter might feel like, like they can’t speak, but I think that even though Maggie has a stutter she can still express her feelings and communicate strongly. She is a girl focused on making the world a better place and she is in the middle of a wild adventure. If you like adventure and suspense you will not want to stop reading!”

• Finn O, age 10, 5th grade

“I enjoyed reading every word of Wildoak and was sad when I finished it! The story was so sweet and heartfelt especially the relationship between Rumpus and Maggie. I loved it! Wildoak is a great read for all ages.”

• Beanie W, 6th grade

"Wildoak is a wonderful book about Maggie, a girl with a stutter, and Rumpus, a wild snow leopard. But when Rumpus is dumped in Wildoak Forest, Maggie must help to save Rumpus from some villagers who want to get rid of him once and for all! I loved how this book really captures the personalities of these two unique characters and brings them to life. Overall, this book is wonderful and anyone considering reading this should go for it, I promise you will not forget it!"

• Lila R, age 13