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WORK TITLE: The Whisperwood Legacy
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
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CITY: Atlanta
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
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RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Raised in MI; lived and worked in London, England.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Editor and writer. Has worked as an editor for major publishers and book packagers for a decade; book coach in collaboration with Manuscripter Book Coaching.
AVOCATIONS:Home renovation, walking the dog.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April, 2025, Allie Stevens, review of The Whisperwood Legacy, p. 110.
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2025, review of The Whisperwood Legacy.
ONLINE
Jo Schulte website, https://joschulte.com (November 4, 2025).
OutSFL, https://outsfl.com/ (June 27, 2025), Aurora Dominguez, “‘The Whisperwood Legacy’—Mystery, Magic, and Twists,” author interview.
School Library Journal, https://www.slj.com/ (August 2, 2025), Michael Van Wambeke, review of The Whisperwood Legacy.
Jo Schulte grew up chasing fireflies in
Michigan, spent many years navigating
London’s publishing industry, and now
calls Atlanta home, y’all. When she’s not
writing, Jo can be found walking her
dog, getting distracted by renovation
projects, or enjoying a well-earned
brunch (the housecleaning can wait).
The Whisperwood Legacy. By Jo Schulte. May 2025. 352p. Little, Brown, $19.99 (9780316578721). Gr. 10-12.
Eighteen months ago, the Appalachian amusement park based on the folklore of German immigrants suddenly shut down for reasons no one except Oma, Frankie's grandmother and sole proprietor of the park, understands. It didn't take long for Whisperwood Park's closing to have a big effect on everyone's financial situation, and some people are more upset about that than others. Frankie, personally, couldn't care less; she only cares about Oma, the matriarch everyone else mostly ignores, and is disgusted by her family's greed. After an unwanted and unpleasant surprise party, Oma disappears, setting into motion a chain of events that unearths long-buried secrets deeper than a theme park fortune. The park's attractions are based on very dark folklore, and as the boundaries of reality shift, Frankie's family's true inheritance may not quite meet their expectations. Lots of big personalities keep the large cast of complex family situations from being too muddled, and copious twists and turns will keep readers guessing. Readers of dark fairy tales and complicated family dramas will be enchanted.--Allie Stevens
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Source Citation
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Stevens, Allie. "The Whisperwood Legacy." Booklist, vol. 121, no. 15-16, Apr. 2025, p. 110. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A847030612/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7c47afd3. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
Schulte, Jo THE WHISPERWOOD LEGACY Little, Brown (Teen None) $19.99 5, 27 ISBN: 9780316578721
Inside a shuttered North Carolina theme park, one family is bound for a reckoning.
Since its inception, Whisperwood Park has been run by a member of the Strauss family: first German immigrant Sir Wilhelm and now Virginia, his great-granddaughter. The popular park featured rides and attractions based on Wilhelm's tales, which brought to life his German heritage within the Appalachian setting. But 18 months ago, Virginia abruptly shuttered it. As potential heirs to the property, 17-year-old Francesca "Frankie" Montgomery-Strauss and the rest of her family return, hoping to uncover what happened and what it means for their futures. Frankie also seeks to understand the disappearance of her friend (and maybe something more) Zara Morales. And then Oma--Frankie's grandmother Virginia--goes missing too. The answers lie in the park, with its stories and its quiet, attractive teenage groundskeeper, Jem. Magic, a family feud, and a dark deal coalesce in a whirlwind that complements rather than overshadows Frankie's story of unraveling her past, her feelings, and her agency. The portrayal of Frankie's bisexuality stands out as an understated yet clearly integral part of her characterization. Atmospheric and broody, the story brings together monsters and fairy tales even as it tackles teenage love and heartbreak and digs into the key role Frankie plays in the future of the park and her family. Most characters are cued white; Zara presents Latine.
A strong, compelling debut that shows that stories really do have power--and can hold danger. (family tree)(Fantasy. 13-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Schulte, Jo: THE WHISPERWOOD LEGACY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A828785177/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c5e328d2. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
SCHULTE, Jo. The Whisperwood Legacy. 352p. Little, Brown. May 2025. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780316578721.
Gr 9 Up—Francesa (Frankie) Strauss has always cherished the time spent with her grandmother and extended family at Whisperwood, the popular theme park based on Der Flüsterwald, the fairy tale collection written by her great-great-great grandfather. And while verbal snipes and quarrels between family members always occurred, the reunion at the book's opening is especially venomous due to the decision by Grandmother Strauss to close the park 18 months earlier. Having been cut off from the largesse the park afforded, Frankie's mother and uncles argue over wresting control from Grandmother Strauss, which turns more sinister when the family matriarch goes missing. Frankie enlists the assistance of the groundskeeper Jem to locate her grandmother, and what they discover is deeper and more sinister than any written fairy tale. The train wreck of Strauss family dynamics makes for an engaging opening, with clever one-liners and sardonic humor peppered throughout. Schulte is also effective in building tension and stakes: early hints at unnatural occurrences at the park clue the reader into the fact that Der Flüsterwald might be more than just stories in a book. But as the story develops, flashbacks, unnatural magic, and changing goals get muddied together, making the central narrative harder to follow. The book's resolution is a little uneven, though Frankie's overall growth as a character is satisfying. The presence of strong language and underage drinking makes this best for a high school collection.
VERDICT: A good blend of action, magic, and surprises will entertain readers despite some uneven plotting. A solid purchase.—Michael Van Wambeke
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Library Journals, LLC
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/xpress/884170-289/xpress_reviews-first_look_at_new.html.csp
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Wambeke, Michael Van. "The Whisperwood Legacy." WebOnlyReviewsSLJ, vol. 71, no. 8, 2 Aug. 2025, p. 1. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A850949076/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d7814bec. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.