Whippoorwill

“Unexpected, generous, and poignant.” —Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of What I Thought Was True Sixteen-year-old Clair Taylor has neighbors who are what locals call whippoorwills, the kind of people who fill their yards with rusty junk. Clair tries to ignore her surroundings, choosing instead to dream of a future beyond her rural New Hampshire town. But, when a black dog named Wally is chained up to a pole next door, Clair can’t look the other way. Clair decides to save Wally, and the immediate connection she has with the lovable dog catches her off-guard, but even more surprising is her bond with eighteen-year-old Danny Stewart, the boy next door.

One neglected dog. One misunderstood boy. One choice that changes everything.

An Unforgettable Animal Rescue Story: Clair never intended to get involved. But when she sees Wally, a neglected black dog, chained up in the freezing cold, she knows she can’t just stand by and watch.An Unlikely Friendship: She’s always seen Danny Stewart as just another part of the junkyard landscape she’s desperate to escape. She never expected him to be the one person who truly sees her.A Gritty Small Town Setting: In rural New Hampshire, where dreams feel as rusty as the junk in your neighbor’s yard, finding a kindred spirit can feel like a miracle.Finding Your Voice: For a girl who has always felt invisible, standing up for a dog—and for the boy who helps her—is the first step toward discovering her own strength.