Pilu of the Woods Book Review

Title: Pilu of the Woods
Author: Mai. K Nguyen
Publication Date: 16th April 2019
Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Graphic Novels/Comics
Number of pages: 160

Pilu of the Woods is a cute graphic novel for children and adults alike. It begins with Willow, talking to her mother and then her mother is absent. Willow lives near a forest and she, and her dog, encounter a girl named Pilu.

The art style is beautiful and the dialogue is easy to follow. You can definitely see in parts how this book has been made suitable for a younger audience. The story features loss, bullying and familial and friend relationships.

Additionally, this book also imparts knowledge and facts about foliage, I actually learned some things about plants that I did not know. Pilu of the Woods also features some good lessons about life in general, for example that we need to be careful of our actions so that we do not harm things or people. Furthermore, Nguyen shows that those we love still live on within us without making the story overly stimulating. Pilu of the Woods explores how children, and people in general, should not bottle up their emotions but express them in a healthy way so that they do not build up and make the person feel worse.

The only negative thought I have about this book is that I feel as though it is unnecessarily long. It would have been better if Willow and Pilu's story had ended earlier and then another part following an adventure with Pilu or an after-chapter showing the girls when they are older. 

Overall, Pilu of the Woods features many aspects that are beneficial in a middle grade book. I really enjoyed this graphic novel, the images were so sweet and I loved all of the different lessons that were featured within. This is one of those books that I would recommend anyone and everyone to read.

Star rating: 4/5 stars

*An advanced copy of this book was kindly sent to me to review, however, all opinions are my own.