But bottling up her feelings doesn’t work, and just ends in her lashing out at her loved ones. Willow promised her mother before she died that she’d be strong, and Willow’s taken that having to repress her grief and pain, to not cry. I found this a thoughtful and gentle exploration of what Willow calls her “angry little monsters” – thoughts and feelings that make you feel helpless and small. As Willow works to change Pilu’s mind and get her home, Pilu helps her rethink how she’s been dealing with her emotions after her mother’s death. While Willow is angry over her sister’s criticism, Pilu feels ignored by her mother, and believes that she won’t even miss her now that she’s run away. It’s marketed as a middle-grade graphic novel, but I enjoyed it immensely and think the lesson would be applicable to and accessible to most ages.Īfter an argument with her older sister, Willow runs away into the woods where she meets a fellow runaway, a wood spirit named Pilu.

As a storm rages and Willow’s emotions bubble to the surface, they suddenly take on a physical form, putting both girls in danger… and forcing Willow to confront her inner feelings once and for all.Ĭontent warnings: View Spoiler » bullying, grief (death of main character’s mother before the book began) « Hide Spoiler Willow offers to help Pilu, and the two quickly become friends.īut the journey is long, and Pilu isn’t sure she’s ready to return home yet-which infuriates Willow, who’s determined to make up for her own mistakes by getting Pilu back safely. There, she meets Pilu, a lost tree spirit who can’t find her way back home-which turns out to be the magnolia grove Willow’s mom used to take her to. When her emotions get the better of her one day, she decides to run away into the woods. They’re calm and quiet, so different from her own turbulent emotions, which she keeps locked away. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Ī heartwarming story of friendship, loss, and finding your way home from debut author/illustrator Mai K.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley.

Pilu in the woods