Wutaryoo (Hardcover)
January/February 2022 Kids Indie Next List
“Sometimes animals ask her ‘Wutaryoo?’ Wutaryoo doesn’t know the answer herself. Determined to find an answer, she sets off on a worldwide adventure. A gorgeously illustrated tale of endurance, discovery, and what it means to belong.”
— Andrew King, Secret Garden Bookshop, Seattle, WA
"What are you?" "Where are you from?" These are questions this mysterious creature has been asked all her life—and she has no idea how to answer. The rabbit was born from a planter's hole; the wolf was born from moonlight. All the animals know their origin stories, so why doesn't the creature now known as Wutaryoo know her own?
Confused and tired of not knowing who she is, Wutaryoo sets off on an adventure to discover her own ancestry. A heartwarming picture book about writing your own story and finding your truth, perfect for kids and recent graduates.
www.nilahmagruder.com
Twitter: @nilaffle
Instagram: @nilahmagruder
"Through the highly entertaining origin stories here, aided by color-drenched digital illustrations, Wutaryoo’s realization that you are the story you live may be especially relevant to adopted, foster, and donor-conceived children." — Booklist
"Employing beguiling characters and dreamlike artwork, Magruder makes a case for individual worth: it’s not illustrious ancestry that makes creatures special, but what they do themselves—and the generosity with which they share their experience." — Publishers Weekly
"Magruder’s training as an animator is evident in both the perspectives of the digital illustrations and the use of light to create wonderfully contrasting moods. The text is well turned, with the philosophical appeal of a mythical hero’s journey." — Kirkus Reviews
"[M]ore discerning readers may identify several possible interpretations of Wutaryoo’s story, while all will get the message that they have the power to create their own story and define who they are...A warmhearted tale of the journey to self-discovery." — School Library Journal