From#1NewYorkTimesbestsellerKatherineApplegate,asingularmiddle-gradenovelaboutagirlwhoriskseverythingtohelpahandmadecreaturewhocomestolife.Theearthisoldandwearenot,andthatisallyoumustremember...Eleven-year-oldWillodeenadorescreaturesofallkinds,butherfavoritesarethemostunlovablebeastsintheland:strangebeastsknownas“screechers.“ThevillagersofPerchancecallthempests,evenmonsters,butWillodeenbelievestheanimalsserveavitalroleinthecomplicatedwebofnature.Lately,though,naturehasseemedangryindeed.Perchancehasbeencursedwithfiresandmudslides,droughtsandfevers,andeventheannualmigrationofhummingbears,asourceoflocalprideandincome,hasdwindled.Foraslongasanyonecanremember,thetinyanimalshaveoverwinteredinshimmeringbubblenestsperchedatopbluewillowtrees,drawingtouristsfromfarandwide.Thisyear,however,notasinglehummingbearhasreturnedtoPerchance,andnooneknowswhy.WhenahandmadebirthdaygiftbringsunexpectedmagictoWillodeenandhernewfriend,Connor,she’sdeterminedtospeakupfortheanimalssheloves,andperhapsevenuncovertheanswertothemysteryofthemissinghummingbears.Atimelyandtimelesstaleaboutourfragileearth,andonegirl’sfiercedeterminationtomakeadifference.
