"A coming-of-age story with the American dream simmering underneath, Monninger's novel will grab the attention of sports fans, even reluctant readers, and Zeb's adjustment to a role outside his comfort zone will resonate with many readers as they navigate their high-school years. . . full of heart and discovery." --Booklist ". . . Monninger heartwarmingly and realistically portrays Zeb and his companions as relatable individuals who do not have the perfect lives. The description of football and the community pressure feel authentic . . . Recommended for a young adult collection looking for more sports fiction." -SLJ "A coming-of-age story about a teen who gets the first--and only--start of his football career when their star quarterback is badly injured a week before a championship game... Subtle, nuanced, and full of heart."--Kirkus "Hand this to your sports fans, struggling readers, and those who secretly wish they could be the starting quarterback during the championship game." --School Library Connection Praise for Whippoorwill: * "The narrative adeptly portrays longing and belonging, and the heartbreak and hope of not only the human condition but the canine one as well. Monninger revitalizes the boy-and-dog trope in this sweet novel." --School Library Journal, starred review * "Narrator Clair is absolutely believable as the girl who's stable yet also negotiating her own loss." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review "An unexpected, generous and poignant portrait of a girl, a boy, and the dog who brings them together." --Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of What I Thought Was True "Masterful! Heartwarming! I read it in one sitting. I could not put it down. One of the best YA novels I have read in years." --Roland Smith, bestselling author of Peak "Destined to become a classic. . . Whippoorwill is about the love and care and neglect and magical inter-species connections between an animal and members of a family, and it will both devastate and transform you. I love this book." --Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author of The Lemon Orchard "A bighearted, gorgeous, timely champion for empathy, kindness, and common courtesy." --Matthew Quick, New York Times bestselling author of The Silver Linings Playbook and Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock "Whippoorwill is an invitation to walk a mile in Wally's paws, and discover that sometimes there are strays of the human variety--and they, too, need love, compassion, and, most importantly, trust." --Jennifer Brown, author of Torn Away "A sweet story about a lucky dog that reveals itself to be a deeper story about a lucky human." --Kirkus "A sweet, melancholy read for those whom a dog holds a special place in their hearts, and who might just wonder: in dog-human relationships, who rescues whom?" --Booklist "Recalls William H. Armstrong's Sounder, Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows, and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Shiloh. . . [it] will resonate most with animal lovers (I count myself among them), and readers who consider tears signs of a great ending." --The Boston Globe --