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Wildoak
Maggie’s stutter makes going to school hard. She will do almost anything to avoid speaking in class – even if that leads to trouble. Sent to stay in the depths of Cornwall with a grandfather she barely knows, Maggie discovers an abandoned snow leopard hiding in the nearby Wildoak Forest. Sheltered by the ancient trees, the two of them build an understanding in secret. But when the cub is spotted by local villagers, danger follows - threatening everything she has come to believe in. Can Maggie find an answer before time runs out - not just for the cub, but for herself and the forest as well?
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 20, 2022
138 people are currently reading
5242 people want to read
About the author
C.C. Harrington
3 books70 followersChristina grew up in the English countryside, mostly barefoot. She loves the natural world and believes that stories, much like the roots of an ancient forest, connect readers and listeners in essential ways. She graduated from Oxford University with a degree in English Literature and has since worked for a national newspaper, studied printmaking and taught literacy to children with learning differences. She now lives in Maryland with her family and a dog who loves to eat manuscripts. WILDOAK is her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 504 reviews
July 12, 2022
Oh, this dear and lovely book! It has everything you want in a story. Lush prose, gorgeous characterizations, an entirely unique and original coming-of-age narrative, and an important and lovingly drawn message about our connection to the natural world. When Maggie’s father grows frustrated by her persistent stutter, he sends her to Cornwall to stay with a grandfather she hardly knows. There, Maggie is drawn to Wildoak Forest, where she comes upon a snow leopard named Rumpus, abandoned in the woods after being received as an unwanted gift from the exotic pet department at Harrods. What ensues is nothing short of magical. C.C. Harrington has painted – in the dual perspectives of Maggie and Rumpus – a beautiful picture of a child finding her voice and learning to use it to save something precious. I can’t recommend this one highly enough. My thanks to the author and to Scholastic for the ARC.
October 18, 2023
3.5 stars
This book took me a while to get into, but once I did I really enjoyed it. I loved Maggie and Rumpus both. It was a bit fantastical but sweet nonetheless.
This book took me a while to get into, but once I did I really enjoyed it. I loved Maggie and Rumpus both. It was a bit fantastical but sweet nonetheless.
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Camilia O'Grady
Narration Rating: 3.5 stars
Genre: Middle Grade
Length: 6h 29m
March 13, 2023
This is a debut book whose cover I fell in love with and so decided I needed to read it ASAP. I wasn't disappointed.
The story centers on Maggie - a young girl growing up in England in 1963. Maggie has a stutter that has required her parents to move her from one school to another. Maggie always finds it easier to speak to animals. Her stutter disappears when she is speaking to her many animal friends (this is important to the plot). When Maggie injures herself to avoid reading in class, her mother decides Maggie should go stay with her maternal grandfather in Cornwall.
While in Cornwall, Maggie takes long walks in Wildoak - the forest that abuts her grandfather's property. It is in this forest that Maggie spots a snow leopard. The snow leopard is named Rumpus. How he ended up in the forest is better left to the reader to find out for themselves. The important part is that Maggie finds him and the two share a special bond.
I loved watching Maggie grow into her own. I loved that nature plays such a central role here. I loved Maggie's grandfather and how patient and loving he is with her. I loved this book! This definitely is an author to watch.
The story centers on Maggie - a young girl growing up in England in 1963. Maggie has a stutter that has required her parents to move her from one school to another. Maggie always finds it easier to speak to animals. Her stutter disappears when she is speaking to her many animal friends (this is important to the plot). When Maggie injures herself to avoid reading in class, her mother decides Maggie should go stay with her maternal grandfather in Cornwall.
While in Cornwall, Maggie takes long walks in Wildoak - the forest that abuts her grandfather's property. It is in this forest that Maggie spots a snow leopard. The snow leopard is named Rumpus. How he ended up in the forest is better left to the reader to find out for themselves. The important part is that Maggie finds him and the two share a special bond.
I loved watching Maggie grow into her own. I loved that nature plays such a central role here. I loved Maggie's grandfather and how patient and loving he is with her. I loved this book! This definitely is an author to watch.
December 10, 2025
خیلی قشنگ بود 😭😭🥹
کاش ما هم بیشتر از جنگل هامون مراقبت کنیم 💝🥺🥹😭
ریویو در یوتوب
https://youtu.be/AgZHXITl4vA?si=etQ7n...
کاش ما هم بیشتر از جنگل هامون مراقبت کنیم 💝🥺🥹😭
ریویو در یوتوب
https://youtu.be/AgZHXITl4vA?si=etQ7n...
July 24, 2024
Beautiful. Hard to believe this is the author's debut novel. I loved the two main characters, Maggie and Rumpus. I enjoyed the alternating chapters told from each of their perspectives. A great story about finding your voice, speaking up even when it's hard & the magic and strength you can find from nature.
"Be gentle with yourself. It is hard to be human."
"We do what we can, in our own small ways, and sometimes that's enough to make a difference. Not always, but sometimes."
This will be a book I will definitely be rereading and recommending widely.
"Be gentle with yourself. It is hard to be human."
"We do what we can, in our own small ways, and sometimes that's enough to make a difference. Not always, but sometimes."
This will be a book I will definitely be rereading and recommending widely.
October 19, 2023
WILDOAK
● 1963
● Maggie (11)
● has a stutter
● parents send her to visit her estranged grandpa
● while staying with her grandpa she finds a snow leopard (named Rumpus)
● Maggie finds it easier to talk to animals than it is to people
● 1963
● Maggie (11)
● has a stutter
● parents send her to visit her estranged grandpa
● while staying with her grandpa she finds a snow leopard (named Rumpus)
● Maggie finds it easier to talk to animals than it is to people
Audiobook source: Hoopla
Narrator: Camilia O'Grady
Length: 6H 29M
October 24, 2022
This story is dual point of view--told by Maggie, a girl who is struggling with her stutter and Rumpus, an abandoned snow leopard. The two find each other in the woods near Maggie's grandfather's house. The leopard helps Maggie learn to speak up for herself, and Maggie helps the leopard survive in the forest. Perfect for fans of Pax...this book was delightful!
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Jayme A. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Jayme A. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
August 27, 2022
So sweet. My younger animal-loving, little environmentalist self would’ve loved this. I really appreciate that Maggie isn’t just speaking up for Rumpus & the forest, but also for herself; C.C. Harrington’s depiction of Maggie’s stutter is well done. Maggie and her family realize her stutter isn’t something to overcome, but something to grow more confident in. I loved the epilogue we got of an older Maggie as naturalist and public speaker with her stutter.
March 23, 2024
3.5 slower paced than I expected. And I didn't care for the animal perspective.
February 7, 2023
Ah this was such a lovely, sweet story. The writing was atmospheric and I applauded Maggie’s character. This recently won the Schneider award. This would be a great read aloud but I especially loved the audio. The narrator was fantastic.
March 10, 2023
It’s 1963, London, young Maggie is alone and ostracized because of her stutter. She is sent to stay with her grandpa while her parents decide a course of action for Maggie’s future. While there, she meets a snow leopard cub who has been abandoned and is alone. When the cub’s very existence is threatened, Maggie is challenged to find her voice, thereby giving him one too. Told in alternating voices, this story shares a love of nature, animals, and conservation of our existing forests. A beautiful story of finding one’s voice and using it to make a difference.
“Everybody has something about themselves they want to change, Maggie. Whether it’s the way they look, the way they sound, where they’re from, what they own, or what they don’t. He paused. “Some of us feel it more than others. But, the truth is, and I believe this with all of my heart, there’s room in this beautiful, complicated world of ours for all of us. Just as we are. In fact, there is a need for it.” P. 299
“Everybody has something about themselves they want to change, Maggie. Whether it’s the way they look, the way they sound, where they’re from, what they own, or what they don’t. He paused. “Some of us feel it more than others. But, the truth is, and I believe this with all of my heart, there’s room in this beautiful, complicated world of ours for all of us. Just as we are. In fact, there is a need for it.” P. 299
March 15, 2023
Wildoak is a middle grade book about a young girl sent to stay with her grandpa for a bit in hopes of her stutter improving. It is told in dual POV from the girl and a snow leopard. It is mostly set in the rural UK by a forest. The setting sounds lush and inviting despite the snow on the ground. This book is so beautifully written and is so unique. I love the relationship between Maggie and her grandfather and also Maggie and her animal friends, including the snow leopard. Wildoak also addresses conservation. I recommend reading this book and the audio was fantastic. I'm going to buy this book for my daughter.
June 24, 2024
It's difficult to know how to best describe this book. Suffice it to say that Wildoak is an absolute treasure! There are so many wonderful middle grade books out now that address diversity, challenges and perseverance but this is somewhat of a fresh take since it addresses the challenges that come with stuttering. (Even Maggie's father wants to 'fix her' so her parents send her off to spend time with her Grandfather near the Wildoak Forest and there the adventure begins!) Additionally, Wildoak also addresses the importance of our natural world and the impact that we each can have upon it. A description on Amazon says it well: "Wildoak shimmers with beauty, compassion, and unforgettable storytelling as it explores the delicate interconnectedness of the human, animal, and natural worlds." As I mentioned, it's a treasure!
January 2, 2023
Perfect for fans of One and Only Ivan, and Pax. Possibly the best junior fiction book I've read this year! Touches upon so many areas perfectly without feeling like the author is cramming too much in. Special shout out for the gorgeous cover art.
"Everything speaks... Just not the same language." ❤
Key Elements
*children who stutter
*effects of war on family members
*family estrangement
*resilience
*coming of age
*animal welfare
*environmental impacts
*historical setting (60s)
*alternating voice between human girl Maggie, and snow leopard Rumpus
"Everything speaks... Just not the same language." ❤
Key Elements
*children who stutter
*effects of war on family members
*family estrangement
*resilience
*coming of age
*animal welfare
*environmental impacts
*historical setting (60s)
*alternating voice between human girl Maggie, and snow leopard Rumpus
December 9, 2022
Oh my! Completely and utterly delightful. Thoughtful. Compelling. Beautiful writing. Great character development. Even a little bit of magical realism. Middle grade novels—or any novels—don’t get much better than this. Definitely a kid’s book club choice for next year. LOVED it.
March 15, 2023
4.5!
A really beautiful look at finding your voice and having a voice for the voiceless.
A really beautiful look at finding your voice and having a voice for the voiceless.
June 12, 2023
4.5 stars
July 6, 2023
What a sweet story about a girl who finds a snow leopard in rural England. Highly recommend if you need a middle grade book!
July 6, 2022
A combination of a story set in the 1960's about a young girl with a stutter who is sent to her grandfather's home (because the fresh air may cure her stutter!) and her discovery of a snow leopard that is found in the nearby forest. The snow leopard being in the woods in Cornwall seems unlikely until you discover that exotic pets were sold at Harrod's in London at that time. This poor animal is released into the wild after being purchased as a pet. The interesting themes kept me captivated and readers will root for both Maggie and Rumpus!
November 2, 2022
Put this in the hands of children who:
-need encouragement to adjust, accept, and overcome an obstacle
-have a passion for animals
-are isolated and could use a friend
-are being positively impacted by a caring adult
-seem to crave a book that “reads like a classic”
Two of my favorite authors, Gary Schmidt and Pam Munoz Ryan, both endorsed this middle grade novel and I can definitely see why. It is one that I will be recommending to kids for years to come.
-need encouragement to adjust, accept, and overcome an obstacle
-have a passion for animals
-are isolated and could use a friend
-are being positively impacted by a caring adult
-seem to crave a book that “reads like a classic”
Two of my favorite authors, Gary Schmidt and Pam Munoz Ryan, both endorsed this middle grade novel and I can definitely see why. It is one that I will be recommending to kids for years to come.
May 10, 2024
Be gentle with yourself. It is hard to be human. 🤍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2024
Be gentle with yourself. It is hard to be human.
Soft as butterfly wings.
Soft as butterfly wings.
May 23, 2023
Family read aloud. Kids enjoyed. Sweet book. Encouraging.
July 6, 2024
Fantastic elementary-middle grade (2+) book!
Great vocab, historical/realistic fiction, empathy building, environmental book.
Would be good companion book to One and Only Ivan.
Would make for a great STEM Bookclub book!
Great vocab, historical/realistic fiction, empathy building, environmental book.
Would be good companion book to One and Only Ivan.
Would make for a great STEM Bookclub book!
July 7, 2023
Mmm....this book was just OK for me. I can see why it's won so many awards, because it checks off a lot of boxes for children's literature prizes: a main character that's disadvantaged in some way, a cute animal, and a heavy-handed message.
The plot gist: girl with a severe stutter goes to live with her grandfather in the countryside, finds a snow leopard (which had been set loose by it's owner) wounded in the woods nearby. They become friends, the locals are frightened by sightings of a monster in the woods, and eventually the girl saves the leopard and makes everyone experience some empathy for the first time.
It was fine, but I found myself speeding up the audiobook toward the end. I just wasn't as charmed by this as I thought I was going to be. The audiobook narrator was good, and I think audio really helped to emphasize the difficulty of the main character's stutter (which you could just skip over on paper).
Throughout this book, I kept trying to put my finger on what it reminded me of....and I've decided that it basically has a bunch of Disney-esque characters, and that's why it feels familiar. We've got our main character who really relates to nature and immediately bonds with cute animals. She has a harsh father who doesn't understand her. We've got the jolly but eccentric grandfather, who builds crazy inventions out in his shop. You've got a bunch of fearful, angry villagers. You've got a rich landowner who is cartoonishly sinister, who whips the villagers into a mob with an urge to kill the beast. Heck, at one point the snow leopard sees two men driving a truck through the woods, loaded with scary apparatus, and the two men are described as a tall thin one and a short fat one...Ok, COME ON, tell me those aren't the two henchmen from 101 Dalmatians?
Subconsciously trying to match up the characters in this book with Disney characters ended up feeling like a distraction. Was the grandfather more like Belle's father in "Beauty & the Beast", or like Amy's dad in "Fly Away Home" (which was, granted, a Sony Pictures film, not Disney). Eccentric and old=Belle's dad, crazy old Maurice. But building a flying machine and being an activist trying to prevent clear cutting=Amy's dad, Thomas (played by Jeff Daniels). Hmmm....
...See? Distracting. I should have been sucked into the story instead of going, "What does this remind me of?" the whole time. Sure, all art of derivative, but this felt especially so.
This book will probably be fine for the middle readers it's intended for, but I don't think it's one of those true gems that transcends age differences.
The plot gist: girl with a severe stutter goes to live with her grandfather in the countryside, finds a snow leopard (which had been set loose by it's owner) wounded in the woods nearby. They become friends, the locals are frightened by sightings of a monster in the woods, and eventually the girl saves the leopard and makes everyone experience some empathy for the first time.
It was fine, but I found myself speeding up the audiobook toward the end. I just wasn't as charmed by this as I thought I was going to be. The audiobook narrator was good, and I think audio really helped to emphasize the difficulty of the main character's stutter (which you could just skip over on paper).
Throughout this book, I kept trying to put my finger on what it reminded me of....and I've decided that it basically has a bunch of Disney-esque characters, and that's why it feels familiar. We've got our main character who really relates to nature and immediately bonds with cute animals. She has a harsh father who doesn't understand her. We've got the jolly but eccentric grandfather, who builds crazy inventions out in his shop. You've got a bunch of fearful, angry villagers. You've got a rich landowner who is cartoonishly sinister, who whips the villagers into a mob with an urge to kill the beast. Heck, at one point the snow leopard sees two men driving a truck through the woods, loaded with scary apparatus, and the two men are described as a tall thin one and a short fat one...Ok, COME ON, tell me those aren't the two henchmen from 101 Dalmatians?
Subconsciously trying to match up the characters in this book with Disney characters ended up feeling like a distraction. Was the grandfather more like Belle's father in "Beauty & the Beast", or like Amy's dad in "Fly Away Home" (which was, granted, a Sony Pictures film, not Disney). Eccentric and old=Belle's dad, crazy old Maurice. But building a flying machine and being an activist trying to prevent clear cutting=Amy's dad, Thomas (played by Jeff Daniels). Hmmm....
...See? Distracting. I should have been sucked into the story instead of going, "What does this remind me of?" the whole time. Sure, all art of derivative, but this felt especially so.
This book will probably be fine for the middle readers it's intended for, but I don't think it's one of those true gems that transcends age differences.
July 12, 2025
Inspired to read this book after staying in Annapolis at the author’s home.
“Be gentle with yourself. It’s hard to be human”
“Be gentle with yourself. It’s hard to be human”
June 13, 2022
This charming, sweet, sensitive middle grade book is perfect for animal lovers of all ages.
Maggie's ashamed of her stutter, and her father's thinking of sending her off to a special school, much to both Maggie and her mother's horror. Instead, her mother sends her to spend some time with her long-lost grandfather, Fred, a quirky doctor and wanna-be inventor who lives in a small town in Cornwall.
Meanwhile, a wealthy family purchases a snow leopard as a gift, but quickly regrets it, releasing the half-tame Rumpus into the wild in Cornwall. When he gets caught in a trap, Maggie gets him out and bandages his paw, but no one believes her about Rumpus until it's almost too late.
The chapters alternate between Maggie and Rumpus's point of view, and Rumpus's chapters brought both comic levity and shone a spotlight on the bond between an animal and those who care for them. This book made my animal-lover heart happy.
Maggie's struggle with her stutter was brought to a realistic, sensitive conclusion. This book handled the issue well, with Maggie learning that her stutter did not define her. Instead, she's defined by her fierce, courageous love for Rumpus and all her animal friends.
Thank you to Scholastic for the Advance Review Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Maggie's ashamed of her stutter, and her father's thinking of sending her off to a special school, much to both Maggie and her mother's horror. Instead, her mother sends her to spend some time with her long-lost grandfather, Fred, a quirky doctor and wanna-be inventor who lives in a small town in Cornwall.
Meanwhile, a wealthy family purchases a snow leopard as a gift, but quickly regrets it, releasing the half-tame Rumpus into the wild in Cornwall. When he gets caught in a trap, Maggie gets him out and bandages his paw, but no one believes her about Rumpus until it's almost too late.
The chapters alternate between Maggie and Rumpus's point of view, and Rumpus's chapters brought both comic levity and shone a spotlight on the bond between an animal and those who care for them. This book made my animal-lover heart happy.
Maggie's struggle with her stutter was brought to a realistic, sensitive conclusion. This book handled the issue well, with Maggie learning that her stutter did not define her. Instead, she's defined by her fierce, courageous love for Rumpus and all her animal friends.
Thank you to Scholastic for the Advance Review Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 22, 2022
This book is so good!! I had all the feels: empathy, sadness, hope, worry, joy… At 50% this story becomes a page turner in a race to save a snow leopard and I could not stop listening. If an animal is in danger, in need to know what happens!!
Maggie has a stutter, and in 1962 it is not as widely acceptable or treatable. After literally hurting herself to avoid speaking in class, she is sent to love with her grandfather in the woods. Maggie has an adorable collection of pets- her only friends 🥺. In Wildoak, she befriends an abandoned snow leopard and learns to use her voice to advocate for him - Gah 💙.
One of my best middle grade book recommenders is Katie Proctor, a middle school language arts teacher. She is also the author of one of my favorite books, “My Storied Year.” If you love middle grade, give her a follow!
Rating: Loved It
Maggie has a stutter, and in 1962 it is not as widely acceptable or treatable. After literally hurting herself to avoid speaking in class, she is sent to love with her grandfather in the woods. Maggie has an adorable collection of pets- her only friends 🥺. In Wildoak, she befriends an abandoned snow leopard and learns to use her voice to advocate for him - Gah 💙.
One of my best middle grade book recommenders is Katie Proctor, a middle school language arts teacher. She is also the author of one of my favorite books, “My Storied Year.” If you love middle grade, give her a follow!
Rating: Loved It
February 3, 2024
I went into this book knowing only one thing: I don't like books written from an animal's POV.
I am so glad I didn't let that barrier prevent me from reading this book. It is so beautifully written that I cried at the end. This story of Maggie, a girl with a stutter, and a snow leopard named Rumpus stuck in a forest in the English countryside is so unexpectedly magical. Maggie's and Rumpus' journey is handled in 3rd person POV, which makes this book more accessible to adults, like me. Maggie's grandpa Fred is the kind of grown-up every kid needs in childhood. And, I have never wanted to run barefoot through the woods more than I have reading this book. Plus, this quote: Be kind to yourself. It is hard to be human. 4.5/5 stars
I am so glad I didn't let that barrier prevent me from reading this book. It is so beautifully written that I cried at the end. This story of Maggie, a girl with a stutter, and a snow leopard named Rumpus stuck in a forest in the English countryside is so unexpectedly magical. Maggie's and Rumpus' journey is handled in 3rd person POV, which makes this book more accessible to adults, like me. Maggie's grandpa Fred is the kind of grown-up every kid needs in childhood. And, I have never wanted to run barefoot through the woods more than I have reading this book. Plus, this quote: Be kind to yourself. It is hard to be human. 4.5/5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 504 reviews