Whippoorwill

Whippoorwill by Joseph Monninger is unlike any other young adult book I’ve read so far this year, not only in its creativity and charm, but also in its delivery and outcome.

I’ll be honest with you. When I read the summary of Whippoorwill, I was expecting it to be just like any other young adult novel, where the girl meets the boy over a common interest, and they fall madly in instalove together, and ride off into the sunset where the rest of their lives are filled with rainbow and sunshine. I thought that maybe the only difference would be a dog was coming along for the ride. .

I was wrong.

"... you could commit a sin by doing wrong, a sin of commission, but you could also commit a sin by ignoring wrong in front of you..."

What Monninger

In fact, Clair spends a great deal of the book uncertain about whether she even likes Danny, more often than not pointing out his flaws and personality quirks that make her cringe rather than spending time on what she finds to be redeemable qualities. It isn’t until the end of the novel, when things take a turn for the worse, that she begins to truly feel sympathy for Danny and his situation.

"To them, a dog was just another thing, like a barbecue grill or a fancy porch rocker, and it didn 't mean that they didn 't love the dog, it just meant they didn 't recognize a dog for what it was and what it needed."

Anyone who loves stories with animals, or loves stories that touch your heart, or basically just loves stories in general, needs to pick up a copy of Monninger’s Whippoorwill. You’ll be a more compassionate person for reading it, not just to animals, but to the human condition. This is a wise, magical, unforgettable novel. It’s not very long, so it will only take you a few days to read. Whether or not you’ve been lucky enough to read Monninger’s previous books, do yourself a favor and go out and buy this one – for yourself, for your loved ones, and for anyone you know who appreciates good dogs or good