Wildoak

Maggie is the 11-year-old protagonist of Wildoak. At the beginning of the novel, she lives in London with her parents, but she spends the majority of the story in Cornwall with her grandfather. Maggie’s life in London is limited by other people’s reactions to her stutter, which prevents her from speaking fluidly and sometimes stops her speech altogether, despite her desperation to be heard and understood. She is self-conscious about speaking in public, and even at home, she prefers to hide herself away in her bedroom cupboard. Over the course of her time at Cornwall, she learns to draw on her individual strengths instead of focusing on her perceived weaknesses, and by the novel’s end, her world has widened considerably.

Maggie is very compassionate and her love for people and animals inspires her to become braver. She has a deep bond with animals and has found that when she speaks to them, her stutter disappears. In Maggie’s cupboard at home, she has a collection of pets and injured animals she cares for; she treats them with great love and tenderness. Her love for animals helps her connect with Rumpus, and it is her concern for Rumpus that pushes her outside her comfort zone: To protect Rumpus, Maggie undergoes physical hardships, teaches herself new skills, overcomes her fear of speaking in public, and undertakes a daring rescue.