Pilu of the Woods

by Mai K. Nguyen

Overview

"Pilu of the Woods is a heartwarming tale full of natural wonder, with wise and lovely messages about coping with grief, facing your feelings, and learning to forgive yourself." - K. O'Neill, Eisner Award-winning author of The Tea Dragon Society

For fans of Hilda and the Troll comes PILU OF THE WOODS, a heartwarming and bittersweet story of friendship, loss, exploring complex emotions and finding your way home from debut creator Mai K. Nguyen.

Willow loves the woods near her house. They’re calm and quiet, so different from her own turbulent emotions, which she keeps locked away. When her emotions get the better of her one day, she decides to run away into the woods. 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. Willow offers to help Pilu, and the two quickly become friends.

But 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. 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.

BONUS CONTENT: This edition includes blank journal pages in the back to encourage readers to keep their own notes about nature and their feelings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620105511
Publisher:	Oni Press
Publication date:	04/16/2019
Series:	Pilu of the Woods
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	1,258,837
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	GN530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Mai K. Nguyen is a comics maker, illustrator, and ice-cream enthusiast living in Northern California. She has previously self-published two short stories, Coral and the King and Little Ghost. When she's not doodling, she's hustling as a visual designer in San Francisco, watching too many true-crime documentaries, or dreaming about all the other comics she wants to make. Not unlike Willow, she loves feeling small amongst redwood trees and inhaling the salty-grassy smell of coastal bluffs.

Editorial Reviews

01/21/2019

Struggling after her mother’s death, Willow cannot find the peace that she needs. Her sister is acting like a parent, and the kids at school tease her for showing her raw emotions. On a particularly rough day, she erupts at her taunting classmates and bossy sibling and flees into the woods, where she feels most comfortable. There, she stumbles upon Pilu, a tree spirit who doesn’t believe her mother cares about her. Together, the two explore the forest, and, along the way, help each other reconcile the inner turmoil that neither is prepared to face alone. Nguyen’s tale draws out (sometimes literally) the characters’ inner demons and presents readers with a language of self-awareness. The subdued, earthy palette helps to emphasize the story’s focus on quiet internal growth rather than on bright, loud action. Nguyen’s manga-like art style and slow panel pacing also aid in conveying the story’s inward focus. Effectively navigating grief, anger, and their place in the world, the characters in this debut show without didacticism how to engage with tough emotions. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"In Pilu of the Woods, Nguyen has crafted a sweet, gentle, beautifully-illustrated fable about childhood loss, and the friends who help us find ways to grow, even through the hardest times."

Melanie Gillman (Steven Universe

"An incredible and imaginative story of life and loss. Readers will miss Pilu when the story ends, but she will resonate long after."

Erin Entrada Kelly

"In PILU OF THE WOODS, Mai K. Nguyen's stunning visuals bring an emotional narrative to life. Pick it up for the beauty, stay for the feels!"

Gloria Chao

"A heartwarming and beautifully executed parallel between the natural cycles of nature and the emotional journey of navigating friend and family relationships, Pilu of the Woods feels very special. Nguyen really captures the feeling of being a kid in the woods with a lot of emotions. Beautiful lettering, beautiful linework, beautiful relationships—just an all-around beautiful book! I feel stronger for having read this."

Natalie Riess (Space Battle Lunchtime

Rendered in evocative lines and expressive lettering, Pilu of the Woods is a delight! Nguyen’s debut is a touching tale of lingering grief and the healing powers of friendship, family, and one enchanting forest.

Melanie Crowder

2019-01-15

Two young strangers discover nature as they help each other express and overcome their emotions.

After getting into a fight at school and then another with her sister, Willow storms off into the woods with Chicory, her dog. Trying to keep her feelings bottled up, she wanders the woods and listens to the calming sounds. She stumbles upon the lost and crying Pilu, a girl of the woods with leaves for hair. It seems Pilu is from the same magnolia tree grove that Willow's recently deceased mother once took her to. Pilu doesn't want to go home because she feels her mother doesn't love her. Willow is still upset at her sister, especially when she acts like a mom. As the girls walk toward the grove, they slowly form a friendship and help each other confront their negative feelings and fears. In a deft touch, Willow's emotions are depicted as little waterlike monsters that greatly exacerbate her anger, sadness, and self-doubt and that she tries to literally keep in jars. Nguyen has created a beautiful full-colored graphic novel, with bold colors, intricate linework, and deft shifts between reality and memory. Different typefaces are used to create nature's sounds and movement, bringing the graphics to life. Her visual representation of hard-to-process events and feelings can help kids navigate their own emotions. Willow and Pilu both have pale skin; Willow's hair is black, and Pilu's is green.

A lovely graphic novel focusing on confronting our inner feelings and how we express them. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews

"In Pilu of the Woods, Nguyen has crafted a sweet, gentle, beautifully-illustrated fable about childhood loss, and the friends who help us find ways to grow, even through the hardest times."

Melanie Gillman (Steven Universe)

"A heartwarming and beautifully executed parallel between the natural cycles of nature and the emotional journey of navigating friend and family relationships, Pilu of the Woods feels very special."

Natalie Riess

02/01/2019

Gr 4–7—In this gorgeous tale, the natural world reflects the complex workings of a child's heart. Frustrated after a fight with her older sister, Willow retreats to the woods and meets a sprite, the mysterious Pilu, who is in a situation surprisingly similar to Willow's. As the two go deeper into the forest, Willow's grief and anger over the loss of her mother bubble over and become monsters. The power of this story lies in the intricate and evocative full-color illustrations of a sweet yet dangerous woodland world that is fully alive with the internal turmoil of the protagonists. Nguyen's decision to embrace the darkest of feelings is reassuring and empowering. VERDICT With vibrant art and rich and challenging themes, Pilu and Willow's journey promises a resonant read for those in search of a thoughtful, comforting exploration of sorrow.—Emilia Packard, Austin, TX

School Library Journal

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