The Dreaded Cliff was sent to me by Terry Nichols for review. She’d seen my previous review of Green Ember and asked if I’d like to read another book about talking animals!
This is no ordinary talking animal book. Terry has given each animal unique traits, which reflect their characteristics in the natural world. You can tell she did her research. Plus, these characters are just so much fun! I adored Flora the Packrat, who likes to use big words (though most often incorrectly!) and is a foodie of sorts.
If you like books about talking animals, where the characters are grounded in the real world, you will love this book!
Of course, it was much enjoyed by my younger son, fan of Green Ember.
Synopsis from terryfnichols.com:
Flora is an ordinary packrat. She’s never flown through the air. She
avoids strangers, especially singing porcupines and rude rabbits. She’s
never met a king of the kangaroo rats, and she would never talk with an
owl—because everyone knows owls can’t talk. Besides, they eat packrats.
Flora’s predictable life is all about snuggling in her treasure-packed nest and “snibbling” snacks with her packrat pal.
Life is perfect—except for the dreaded cliff. “Beware!” warn other packrats, and Flora’s stomach twists into knots.
All this is about to change when Flora learns about the ancestral
packrat home, stuffed in a dark crack in the cliff, where countless
packrats have raised their young. But a killer lurks there, driving
packrats away.
The story haunts Flora, even as she tumbles into a faraway canyon where her life turns topsy-turvy.
Quirky critters, scary predators, and daring adventures impact her
search for home, leading to surprising discoveries. And she learns she’s
not such an ordinary packrat after all.
Instead of my usual 5 things I liked, Terry agreed to share about how she developed her amazing characters.
My question:
One of the things I liked best about The Dreaded Cliff is how the animals had animal traits, like in Charlotte's Web.
Can you tell us about the research you did for these animals and how you used that to create their very unique personalities?
Terry's answer:
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from terryfnichols.com
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I researched written articles, field guides, professional papers, video clips, anecdotal stories, and drew on my personal experiences to create the animal characters in The Dreaded Cliff.
Paco’s singing talent was inspired by online videos of Teddy Bear, a porcupine in a wildlife refuge who gnashes corn with gusto and clucks, yelps, squeaks, and argues with a range of inflections and slobbery yum-yummy sounds. I figured if a real porcupine has that kind of voice, then surely Paco sings opera. And of course, loves to eat. But Paco is also shy and doesn’t quite know what the fuss is about regarding his quills. I imagine a lot of young porcupines have a similar experience—they don’t know the power of what they’ve got until they actually use it.
A kangaroo rat is a small package of spunk, adaptability, and resourcefulness. With his oversized rear feet he’ll pound the ground, kick sand in an attacking snake’s eyes, or bound away in amazing leaps. I see a lot of bluster and exaggeration in these solitary creatures. My armchair psychologist stepped in when I created King Cyrus. He’s perhaps compensating for his diminutive size, deep-seated fears (justified, when it comes to owls and badgers), and isolated lifestyle. Yet he has a caring, generous heart and yearns to connect with others—enough to welcome a lost packrat to his burrow.
Great horned owls are superb night hunters, with acute hearing, keen vision, and the ability to swivel their necks 270 degrees. Their silent flight and aerial perspective contributed to the story’s owl character. In its injured state, the owl appeals to my hero’s deeper sense of shared connection with the animal world, demonstrating qualities of a broader vision, wisdom, foresight, and mercy.
I’ve enjoyed the curiosity and intelligence of packrats for years and have had lovely face-to-face encounters with them. Hefty Grandma Mimi was inspired by the blubbery-looking packrat I caught in a livetrap once, who I imagined yearned for the protection and comfort of her ancestral home while she waited for me to release her.
Flora is the packrat who “snibbled” my eggplants all summer long, scattered the compost pile across the landscape, and built her den in the ’79 Volkswagen van. Since that packrat was so fond of the compost buffet, I’m quite sure she was a food critic. Flora’s world of word play, treasure collecting, and food exploration is enough until the story of the ancestral packrat home stimulates her yearning for something bigger. And with her journey afar, she’s nudged to listen to her deeper self and is challenged to stay true to the essence of a packrat—who doesn’t just collect stuff—but collects stuff for a purpose, building on and joining in the bigger story of her packrat ancestors.
Thank you for sharing about the background of your characters! I love how Flora was inspired by your real experiences with packrats.
To learn more about Terry and to download the great resources she has for teachers, parents, and book clubs, go to her website, Terry Nichols.
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