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Be Light Like a Bird
After the death of her father, twelve-year-old Wren finds her life thrown into upheaval. And when her mother decides to pack up the car and forces Wren to leave the only home she's ever known, the family grows even more fractured. As she and her mother struggle to build a new life, Wren must confront issues with the environment, peer pressure, bullying, and most of all, the difficulty of forgiving those who don't deserve it. A quirky, emotional middle grade novel set in Michigans Upper Peninsula, Be Light Like a Bird features well-drawn, unconventional characters and explores what it means to be a family and the secrets and lies that can tear one apart.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2016
47 people are currently reading
926 people want to read
About the author
Monika Schröder
9 books48 followersMonika Schröder was born in Germany. She has worked in American overseas schools in Egypt, Chile, Oman and India as an elementary school teacher and librarian. Her first novel for children, THE DOG IN THE WOOD, was published by Boyds Mills Press in November 2009. The book takes place in Germany after World War II and is based on the childhood experiences of the author's father. Her second novel, SARASWATI'S WAY( Frances Foster Books/Farrar Straus Giroux, 2010) tells the story of a 12-year-old Indian boy. MY BROTHER'S SHADOW, set in Berlin 1918, was published in September 2011. She currently lives and writes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Find out more about her on: www.monikaschroeder.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
September 15, 2019
This book was so sad, so sweet, so good!! I found this little hardback in my many stacks of books that I’m sorting through. The author sent this to me in 2016!!! All I can say is it’s nice to find a gem amongst the chaos. I loved this so much. FOR ME, it was perfect.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
July 28, 2016
Wow, what a poignant story. This novel surrounds a young twelve-year old girl named Wren who lost her father in an airplane crash.
Wren is struggling to come to terms with her grief, and what’s even more upsetting is that her mother is too. This causes a fracture in their relationship with one another.
This is a fantastic story for younger readers about how to deal with losing a loved one and the affect it will have not only on yourself but those around you. The issues covered are very relevant. I loved the relationship between Wren and Theo (who recently lost his mother to cancer) and the blossoming of friendship between them.
The book covers love, grief and most of all forgiveness. I would have loved a book like this when I was a teenager, I even wish I would have been able to read it then.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Capstone for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Wren is struggling to come to terms with her grief, and what’s even more upsetting is that her mother is too. This causes a fracture in their relationship with one another.
This is a fantastic story for younger readers about how to deal with losing a loved one and the affect it will have not only on yourself but those around you. The issues covered are very relevant. I loved the relationship between Wren and Theo (who recently lost his mother to cancer) and the blossoming of friendship between them.
The book covers love, grief and most of all forgiveness. I would have loved a book like this when I was a teenager, I even wish I would have been able to read it then.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Capstone for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 9, 2017
Coincidentally, I've now read two MG books in a row in which the dad dies and the mom handles it badly. Both times the mom has a reason () and in both there's another story on the side, in this case a fight to save a patch of nature from the bulldozers of a landfill owner.
I prefer this book. The issues are handled more deftly, and the mom's behavior, while apparently more extreme, is more excusable. There is, however, a bit of a fairy tale element to this, in that too many thing happen just right on the way to a happy ending.
Following Fake Man also has some lucky coincidences, and is not quite as well written. But it's also worth reading. The side story in that is a mystery about this man who goes around in disguise (dubbed Fake Man by the MC), and there's also some great ideas about art & the artistic temperament. In that book the mom faces dual challenges of migraines and .
I will consider more by Schröder.
But no more death of parents for a while, please!
I prefer this book. The issues are handled more deftly, and the mom's behavior, while apparently more extreme, is more excusable. There is, however, a bit of a fairy tale element to this, in that too many thing happen just right on the way to a happy ending.
Following Fake Man also has some lucky coincidences, and is not quite as well written. But it's also worth reading. The side story in that is a mystery about this man who goes around in disguise (dubbed Fake Man by the MC), and there's also some great ideas about art & the artistic temperament. In that book the mom faces dual challenges of migraines and .
I will consider more by Schröder.
But no more death of parents for a while, please!
November 29, 2016
When I was approached by the author about this book, I took a little while to decide whether I wanted to read it or not. I was very intrigued, and was drawn to it, but not sure how I would cope with the plot as my own father has recently passed away.
But Monika’s writing style has an ease to it. She make’s you feel comfortable whilst reading about a difficult subject, and although it has quite a few emotional scenes, I was surprised that I was never brought to tears.
Be Light Like A Bird, is a Children’s/YA book, that deals with some hard hitting issues. It follows the life of twelve year old Wren, and her ever increasingly distant mum, after the death of her father, in a plane crash.
When her mum throws all of her fathers belongings out, packs up the family car and moves them away from the only home that Wren has ever known, Wren is devastated, and hates her mum. Especially after she makes them move three times in a short space of time.
For such a young girl, Wren feels like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders, and the one person who should be there to comfort her, and tell her everything is going to be alright, is the one person making her life more miserable. Not only has her mum stopped having a relationship with her, but she won’t even allow Wren to mention her father’s name. Wren eventually see’s red when her mum gets rid of the only possession that she had left of her father, his beloved Volvo.
When they finally seem to settle in a town called Pyramid, Wren gets to attend the local school. Unfortunately, she is teamed up with the ‘Geek’ of the class on a school project. Over time with the ‘Geek’, Theo’s help, Wren starts to enjoy life again, especially when they start campaigning to stop the local pond being turned into a refuse site.
When her mum lets her into a secret she has been hiding, Wren accuses her of lying, but deep down she knows that her mum is telling the truth, she just doesn’t want to believe it. To me though, the secret that her mum had been keeping from her daughter didn’t justify the way that she treated her. I also feel that she should never of told her, as it only added to the hurt that Wren was already feeling.
One of the many things that I like about the book, apart from the interesting and unique storyline, was that Monika has kept the chapters really short, something that I feel gives this an added interest to children and YA readers. Her writing style has a natural flow to it and reminded me of Kate Dicamillo’s books.
This is a must read. It’s engaging, emotional, fun, interesting, and gripping. It has realistic characters that you can connect with. Most importantly it certainly won’t leave you disappointed.
Reviewed by Stacey at www.whisperingstories.com
But Monika’s writing style has an ease to it. She make’s you feel comfortable whilst reading about a difficult subject, and although it has quite a few emotional scenes, I was surprised that I was never brought to tears.
Be Light Like A Bird, is a Children’s/YA book, that deals with some hard hitting issues. It follows the life of twelve year old Wren, and her ever increasingly distant mum, after the death of her father, in a plane crash.
When her mum throws all of her fathers belongings out, packs up the family car and moves them away from the only home that Wren has ever known, Wren is devastated, and hates her mum. Especially after she makes them move three times in a short space of time.
For such a young girl, Wren feels like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders, and the one person who should be there to comfort her, and tell her everything is going to be alright, is the one person making her life more miserable. Not only has her mum stopped having a relationship with her, but she won’t even allow Wren to mention her father’s name. Wren eventually see’s red when her mum gets rid of the only possession that she had left of her father, his beloved Volvo.
When they finally seem to settle in a town called Pyramid, Wren gets to attend the local school. Unfortunately, she is teamed up with the ‘Geek’ of the class on a school project. Over time with the ‘Geek’, Theo’s help, Wren starts to enjoy life again, especially when they start campaigning to stop the local pond being turned into a refuse site.
When her mum lets her into a secret she has been hiding, Wren accuses her of lying, but deep down she knows that her mum is telling the truth, she just doesn’t want to believe it. To me though, the secret that her mum had been keeping from her daughter didn’t justify the way that she treated her. I also feel that she should never of told her, as it only added to the hurt that Wren was already feeling.
One of the many things that I like about the book, apart from the interesting and unique storyline, was that Monika has kept the chapters really short, something that I feel gives this an added interest to children and YA readers. Her writing style has a natural flow to it and reminded me of Kate Dicamillo’s books.
This is a must read. It’s engaging, emotional, fun, interesting, and gripping. It has realistic characters that you can connect with. Most importantly it certainly won’t leave you disappointed.
Reviewed by Stacey at www.whisperingstories.com
November 21, 2016
Hard hitting books that get you right in the emotional gut are hard to read, but for some reason when the book is meant for those middle grade readers out there I find them even harder to stomach. There is just something about them when I know that they are meant for a pretty young audience that really gets me. Maybe it is because I wish I could shelter these readers forever from such pain and suffering even though I know there are those out there that have already suffered through what the book is dealing with or worse.
Of course Be Light Like a Bird falls into this category. I had no idea what to expect when I picked up the book. I am sure I had read the blurb about it back when the author requested a review from me, but I kind of forgot. Then, of course, I didn't bother reading the blurb again when I finally picked up the book to read it... I just went for it.
Be Light Like a Bird is about a young girl named Wren. Wren is only 12 years old and already has to go through an unimaginable life experience. Her father has died in an airplane crash leaving herself and her mother without any money and their small family in turmoil. You see, for whatever reason she might have, Wren's mother refuses to talk about Wren's father. She won't talk about his death, his life, nothing. She doesn't even have a service for him. This leaves Wren to deal with the loss of her father all on her own.
And her mother really isn't making the whole thing easy. Her mother and her have to move. And then her mother will date a guy for a couple weeks (even though her father has been gone for only a month or so!!) and then when they break up she has them move again. This doesn't allow Wren to form any roots or to make any friends. Making her feel even more alone and confused.
Eventually Wren and her mother end up in a town called Pyramid where most of our story happens. Not only is this a story of loss, family struggles, and relationships, but it is also a story of finding a cause and fighting for it. Be Light Like a Bird really has a lot in its pages for us to take in!
So what did I ultimately think of this book and the story it contained? I found it very very hard to put down. I found myself turning the pages wanting to understand what was going on. I found myself wondering what exactly was going on with Wren's mother. In short, I really enjoyed it!
There was one part in the book, very early on, that I found a little awkward to read. It was when Wren's uncle came to visit shortly after the death of her father. I found his narrative to be very...odd and off and not very realistic especially for the age bracket I had mentally stuck him in. Thankfully he only makes this one extremely short appearance and no one else talks like this for the rest of the book.
The rest of the book was good though. It felt like it was written correctly for a middle grade reader. It was on a tough topic, but it wasn't overly detailed on topics or anything. This left it still having a feeling of hope and, at points, a lightness which made it not as tough to get through as it could have been.
With all the things covered in this book though, I think parents/guardians/teachers should be ready to have conversations that may pop up as a result of reading this book. They will happen and they are not going to be easy conversations by any means.
This review is based on a copy provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.
Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/
September 24, 2016
Slightly spoilery. Proceed at your own risk!
Trigger warning: A parent dies in the book, off-screen, but dealing with it is part of the plot.
This book is, I feel, appropriate for middle readers. It has some very serious subject matter, the 13 year old protagonist's father died in an airplane crash, he left the family with no money so they lose the house. I don't think that's a major spoiler, since it happens in the first few pages.
The mother is not handling the loss well AT ALL, which irked me until we find out why towards the end of the book. There is a good reason and it is completely understandable, but until you find out, you are VERY mad with the mom for not being there for her daughter Wren.
The characters, while secondary ones were slightly trope-y, the main ones reacted realistically to what was happening around and to them. The plot was serious in tone and slightly depressing, but it might help a child who is going through the loss of a parent to read about someone who is going through the same thing. The setting was kind of "Anywhere, USA" to me, but the environmental and civic messages were solid. They deal with the location in the book, hence me mentioning it in the setting portion of my review. It makes sense when you read it. :)
The ending kind of tied everything up way too neatly, but for the age this is being marketed to, it works and is comforting I think. When there is that much seriousness and sadness beforehand, one needs something to balance it out. The ending does that well I believe.
This is more of a 4.5 than 4 star book, but I rounded down because the plot, while good, went in a very one direction way. You could see the ending coming and every rest stop on the way. NOT a bad thing, it works for the age group, but I thought it was a bit too telegraphed for me. Good for that age, not for mine. I would recommend it to middle readers and up.
My thanks to NetGalley and Capstone Young Readers for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
Trigger warning: A parent dies in the book, off-screen, but dealing with it is part of the plot.
This book is, I feel, appropriate for middle readers. It has some very serious subject matter, the 13 year old protagonist's father died in an airplane crash, he left the family with no money so they lose the house. I don't think that's a major spoiler, since it happens in the first few pages.
The mother is not handling the loss well AT ALL, which irked me until we find out why towards the end of the book. There is a good reason and it is completely understandable, but until you find out, you are VERY mad with the mom for not being there for her daughter Wren.
The characters, while secondary ones were slightly trope-y, the main ones reacted realistically to what was happening around and to them. The plot was serious in tone and slightly depressing, but it might help a child who is going through the loss of a parent to read about someone who is going through the same thing. The setting was kind of "Anywhere, USA" to me, but the environmental and civic messages were solid. They deal with the location in the book, hence me mentioning it in the setting portion of my review. It makes sense when you read it. :)
The ending kind of tied everything up way too neatly, but for the age this is being marketed to, it works and is comforting I think. When there is that much seriousness and sadness beforehand, one needs something to balance it out. The ending does that well I believe.
This is more of a 4.5 than 4 star book, but I rounded down because the plot, while good, went in a very one direction way. You could see the ending coming and every rest stop on the way. NOT a bad thing, it works for the age group, but I thought it was a bit too telegraphed for me. Good for that age, not for mine. I would recommend it to middle readers and up.
My thanks to NetGalley and Capstone Young Readers for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
July 3, 2016
A death in a family is like an earthquake. It rocks everyone in a different way, and no one individual fully appreciates the impact on the others. In addition, the struggle to cope can be greater when the loss reveals harsh secrets.
This is the situation in which we find a cast of expertly drawn characters in Be Light Like a Bird—foremost, 12-year old Wren and her mother, who are struggling to cope with the death of her father in an aircraft accident over the ocean. There is no body to bury, and thus, one less way to process grief. While the inciting incident evokes feelings of sorrow, it is also the launch point for hope. It is impossible not to root for Wren and her mother as they struggle to accept and transcend the loss, each in their own imperfect way. Their journey involves a few precipitous moves that yank Wren from one school to another and evoke empathy for a girl who longs for roots and re-centering. Finally, Wren meets a boy who has lost his mother to cancer, and together they take on the project of saving a local pond and bird haven from being turned into a landfill. The task involves garnering the strength to stand up to psychological demons and real life bullies and leads to a satisfying ending.
Told in the first person from Wren’s point of view, this extraordinarily well-crafted book illustrates how an author can capture the full value of feelings of secondary characters from the close perspective of one. Anyone who has written in the first person will tell you that this is a very challenging endeavor, particularly with a story that is so emotionally charged. Schroeder has managed here to give us the perfect narrative blend of internal monologue and “showing” rather than telling.
These are unforgettable characters in a memorable story. It should be read not only for its lovely prose and literary value—a study of grief, peer pressure, parental struggles and environmental topics—but for its superb craft.
This is the situation in which we find a cast of expertly drawn characters in Be Light Like a Bird—foremost, 12-year old Wren and her mother, who are struggling to cope with the death of her father in an aircraft accident over the ocean. There is no body to bury, and thus, one less way to process grief. While the inciting incident evokes feelings of sorrow, it is also the launch point for hope. It is impossible not to root for Wren and her mother as they struggle to accept and transcend the loss, each in their own imperfect way. Their journey involves a few precipitous moves that yank Wren from one school to another and evoke empathy for a girl who longs for roots and re-centering. Finally, Wren meets a boy who has lost his mother to cancer, and together they take on the project of saving a local pond and bird haven from being turned into a landfill. The task involves garnering the strength to stand up to psychological demons and real life bullies and leads to a satisfying ending.
Told in the first person from Wren’s point of view, this extraordinarily well-crafted book illustrates how an author can capture the full value of feelings of secondary characters from the close perspective of one. Anyone who has written in the first person will tell you that this is a very challenging endeavor, particularly with a story that is so emotionally charged. Schroeder has managed here to give us the perfect narrative blend of internal monologue and “showing” rather than telling.
These are unforgettable characters in a memorable story. It should be read not only for its lovely prose and literary value—a study of grief, peer pressure, parental struggles and environmental topics—but for its superb craft.
January 6, 2017
I found this book to be tremendously moving and it will be perfect for my collection of novels dealing with grief, truth, expression, bullying, and friendship/loyalty in my classroom library.
Wren is such a powerful and impressive young woman, who is both weighed-down by sorrow and lifted by her determination. I love her steadfast adoration of her late father and her honest disdain for her mother, who isn't handling her spouse's death in the most mature or helpful manner for Wren.
This book has so many themes wrapped into its rather short 230ish pages. There is the concept of civil discourse and standing up for what you believe in with Wren and Theo's campaign to save the pond. There is the idea that bullies need to be told they are wrong, as is the case with Carrie. Mostly, there is the theme that with transparency comes help...Randle, Theo, Wren's teachers, the community all come her aide, once she finally humbles herself enough to ask.
There is so much symbolism in this novel, that as an adult, I appreciated the beauty of the writing on a whole different level. I am not such if many middle grade students will get it, but those who do, they will surely fall in love.
Regardless, this book, was a welcome surprise and a lovely story.
Wren is such a powerful and impressive young woman, who is both weighed-down by sorrow and lifted by her determination. I love her steadfast adoration of her late father and her honest disdain for her mother, who isn't handling her spouse's death in the most mature or helpful manner for Wren.
This book has so many themes wrapped into its rather short 230ish pages. There is the concept of civil discourse and standing up for what you believe in with Wren and Theo's campaign to save the pond. There is the idea that bullies need to be told they are wrong, as is the case with Carrie. Mostly, there is the theme that with transparency comes help...Randle, Theo, Wren's teachers, the community all come her aide, once she finally humbles herself enough to ask.
There is so much symbolism in this novel, that as an adult, I appreciated the beauty of the writing on a whole different level. I am not such if many middle grade students will get it, but those who do, they will surely fall in love.
Regardless, this book, was a welcome surprise and a lovely story.
August 29, 2016
Sometimes big things come in small packages. Such is the case with Monika Schröder’s newest novel, Be Light Like a Bird.
Coming in at only 240 pages, Be Light Like a Bird tells the story of Wren, a twelve-year-old who recently lost her father unexpectedly in a plane crash. Her mother fails to offer her the support she so desperately needs, and the two of them travel from town to town hoping to start a new life. They eventually settle in Pyramid, Michigan where Wren must not only deal with her mother’s cold demeanor, but a multitude of other issues as well.
This middle-grade novel tackles many weighty topics such as bullying, peer pressure, nature conservation, the rights of indigenous peoples, death, and the ability to forgive and it does so in a manner that even younger students would be able to process. The language is simple. The sentences are short. But the overall effect will leave a lasting impact.
I will definitely recommend Be Light Like a Bird to my middle-school students and adults as well!
Be Light Like a Bird will be released on September 1, 2016.
Coming in at only 240 pages, Be Light Like a Bird tells the story of Wren, a twelve-year-old who recently lost her father unexpectedly in a plane crash. Her mother fails to offer her the support she so desperately needs, and the two of them travel from town to town hoping to start a new life. They eventually settle in Pyramid, Michigan where Wren must not only deal with her mother’s cold demeanor, but a multitude of other issues as well.
This middle-grade novel tackles many weighty topics such as bullying, peer pressure, nature conservation, the rights of indigenous peoples, death, and the ability to forgive and it does so in a manner that even younger students would be able to process. The language is simple. The sentences are short. But the overall effect will leave a lasting impact.
I will definitely recommend Be Light Like a Bird to my middle-school students and adults as well!
Be Light Like a Bird will be released on September 1, 2016.
October 25, 2016
BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD by Monika Schroder tells the authentic story of a twelve-year-old girl dealing with the death of her father.
When her dad dies, Wren and her mother must move to Michigan and start a new life. Along the way, Wren deals with a wide range of issues from bullying and peer pressure to environmental issues and themes of lies, forgiveness, and hope.
This poignant story realistically describes Wrens’ struggles with the death of her father. The author skillfully weaves age-appropriate experiences and actions into the storyline.
Librarians will find middle-grade, realistic fiction readers drawn to the wide range of topics and themes. From birding and anthropology to bullying, encourage youth to select an issue of interest and learn more about it.
To learn more about the author, go to http://www.monikaschroeder.com/.
Published by Stone Arch, and imprint of Capstone on August 1, 2016. Courtesy of the author.
When her dad dies, Wren and her mother must move to Michigan and start a new life. Along the way, Wren deals with a wide range of issues from bullying and peer pressure to environmental issues and themes of lies, forgiveness, and hope.
This poignant story realistically describes Wrens’ struggles with the death of her father. The author skillfully weaves age-appropriate experiences and actions into the storyline.
Librarians will find middle-grade, realistic fiction readers drawn to the wide range of topics and themes. From birding and anthropology to bullying, encourage youth to select an issue of interest and learn more about it.
To learn more about the author, go to http://www.monikaschroeder.com/.
Published by Stone Arch, and imprint of Capstone on August 1, 2016. Courtesy of the author.
Read
November 13, 2018This book is about a girl whose father died in a plane crash. The girl and her mother start to move from place to place. Then they settle in a place called pyramid. This is the starting of her new life
January 8, 2017
This book reminded me of Because of Winn Dixie, because it was fresh and innocent.
I wasn't ecstatic to start reading it because I'm sick of reading books of main characters' parents who die.
But this was such a deep and soul searching novel about grief, secrets, and relationships.
Wren deals with an estranged relationship with her mother, following her father's death. She struggles to find her place in a new school. Then she finds the strength to find her own way, subtly insert roots, and fight for what she believes in.
A light yet impacting book!
I wasn't ecstatic to start reading it because I'm sick of reading books of main characters' parents who die.
But this was such a deep and soul searching novel about grief, secrets, and relationships.
Wren deals with an estranged relationship with her mother, following her father's death. She struggles to find her place in a new school. Then she finds the strength to find her own way, subtly insert roots, and fight for what she believes in.
A light yet impacting book!
May 9, 2016
Wow! This is an amazing book with an unforgettable story!
Monika's writing was so powerful and sensory. I found myself stopping often to retread, reflect , and want to have conversations with others about what I just read. This is a special story, which seems to have everything.
I cannot wait for others to be able to read and share this story as well.
Monika's writing was so powerful and sensory. I found myself stopping often to retread, reflect , and want to have conversations with others about what I just read. This is a special story, which seems to have everything.
I cannot wait for others to be able to read and share this story as well.
December 6, 2016
Such a treat of a story! Wren must deal with the loss of her father and trying to bond with her mother who is handling the loss quite differently.
July 14, 2017
In "Be Light Like a Bird," Wren and Theo must deal with all the things that sixth graders face- fitting in, conflict with parents, and life's annoying changes. But they have more serious issues to battle- loss of a parent and the subsequent emotions in themselves and their surviving parents. Woven into this heart-wrenching struggle is the story of a pond ecosystem and the efforts of the two sixth graders to save it. Schroeder describes both emotions and pastoral scenes with vivid language that leaves clear images in the reader's mind and causes both tears and cheers. While some may view the resolution for Wren and Theo as too neatly done, this reviewer/librarian felt it was immensely satisfying and hopeful...a feeling that is sorely needed by the target audience of 5th-8th grade students.
January 10, 2017
This book touches on strong themes like grief and death. The first sentences are graphic, but read on. There's nothing gratuitous in these pages. The author glued me to the page from Chapter 1. I loved the main character and wanted to find out how she deals with the obstacles in her life. Not normally a fan of sad, grim, contemporary MG books, I found Be Light Like a Bird full of encouraging moments. Though the dialogue could get a bit "telling" in places and parts of the plot were too effortless, this story is worthwhile for its heart, focus on perseverance, and environmental side-light.
July 25, 2016
*Netgalley send me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Really enjoyed this one, lots of great morals especially if the intended audience reads this story; highly recommend. Full review here!
Really enjoyed this one, lots of great morals especially if the intended audience reads this story; highly recommend. Full review here!
April 3, 2016
Full review to come closer to the publication date.
June 5, 2016
Following a very difficult time in her life, how will Wren learn to cope and who will be there to help her through?
August 14, 2016
A book about grief and healing and finding your true self.
This book is one you'll want in your library - they are students who will need it.
Beautiful writing.
This book is one you'll want in your library - they are students who will need it.
Beautiful writing.
March 17, 2017
What do you remember about middle school (formerly called junior high)? Loneliness? Unfairness? Wanting to be cool? How about your parents divorcing or not being allowed to ask questions? Did you ever try to get revenge against the injustices of the world? All of these elements play a role in Monika Schröder's middle grade novel, Be Light Like a Bird.
When 12-year-old Wren's father comes crashing to earth in a flying accident, she is devastated. She's lost her birding buddy, her dad, and the parent she was closer too. Her mom is strangely cold, cleaning out papers, donating clothes, and refusing to discuss the loss with Wren. It only makes matters worse when Wren and her mother move three times in less than a year, leaving town each time the mother breaks up with the man she is dating. Wren is tired of trading one middle school for another. She faces loneliness, peer pressure, some mean-girl bullying, and a geek with his own loneliness issues. She finds an issue she cares about and starts a petition for preserving a wetland filled with wild birds that is about to be converted into a garbage dump. By the end of the story, Wren is learning to trust peers and adults, including her mom, in the same way she trusted her dad.
I'm always amazed at the way middle-grade and young-adult authors can tug on heartstrings with a few words. Schröder does this well. The stakes are real and Wren's struggles are authentic. Schröder, a teacher, has tapped into the concerns and emotions of several types of middle grade students. The good guys are all three-dimensional. The book contains important messages about speaking your truth and doing the right thing. Wren will be a role model for many quiet middle graders. Schröder recognizes and respects her audience. Like all good MG and YA novels, Be Light Like a Bird can be read and appreciated by adults as well as the pre-teens it's written for.
by B. Lynn Goodwin
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
When 12-year-old Wren's father comes crashing to earth in a flying accident, she is devastated. She's lost her birding buddy, her dad, and the parent she was closer too. Her mom is strangely cold, cleaning out papers, donating clothes, and refusing to discuss the loss with Wren. It only makes matters worse when Wren and her mother move three times in less than a year, leaving town each time the mother breaks up with the man she is dating. Wren is tired of trading one middle school for another. She faces loneliness, peer pressure, some mean-girl bullying, and a geek with his own loneliness issues. She finds an issue she cares about and starts a petition for preserving a wetland filled with wild birds that is about to be converted into a garbage dump. By the end of the story, Wren is learning to trust peers and adults, including her mom, in the same way she trusted her dad.
I'm always amazed at the way middle-grade and young-adult authors can tug on heartstrings with a few words. Schröder does this well. The stakes are real and Wren's struggles are authentic. Schröder, a teacher, has tapped into the concerns and emotions of several types of middle grade students. The good guys are all three-dimensional. The book contains important messages about speaking your truth and doing the right thing. Wren will be a role model for many quiet middle graders. Schröder recognizes and respects her audience. Like all good MG and YA novels, Be Light Like a Bird can be read and appreciated by adults as well as the pre-teens it's written for.
by B. Lynn Goodwin
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
January 22, 2017
When Wren's father dies, her mother decides to start over. And over. And over. Wren is hurting, trying to make sense of the way her father died and the mystery of why her mother refuses to talk about him and keeps uprooting them for no real reason.
As Wren settles into her newest school, she finds herself entrenched in a school project with a new classmate that ends up being so much more than just a simple project. Along the way, Wren learns about grief, friendship, bullying, and growing up in ways that feel remarkably authentic to the character and age group.
What I loved most about this novel was that Wren's struggles, especially as she searches for her place at a new school and could be the struggles of any twelve-year-old. Middle school students will be able to relate to Wren as she faces the challenges of growing up.
This would make a great addition to any upper elementary or middle school collection, and I'm excited to share this book with my middle school readers.
I was sent a review copy of this book by the author, but all commentary and opinions are my own.
As Wren settles into her newest school, she finds herself entrenched in a school project with a new classmate that ends up being so much more than just a simple project. Along the way, Wren learns about grief, friendship, bullying, and growing up in ways that feel remarkably authentic to the character and age group.
What I loved most about this novel was that Wren's struggles, especially as she searches for her place at a new school and could be the struggles of any twelve-year-old. Middle school students will be able to relate to Wren as she faces the challenges of growing up.
This would make a great addition to any upper elementary or middle school collection, and I'm excited to share this book with my middle school readers.
I was sent a review copy of this book by the author, but all commentary and opinions are my own.
March 25, 2018
I was instantly drawn into the story of Wren and her sad, transient relationship with her mother after her father died. Through Wren's grieving process, she discovers some unlikely friends, becomes involved in civil action to protect a natural habitat, and rekindles her relationship with her mother. This is an engaging read that reminds us all that even in the face of our deepest despair, we can find a way to heal. I absolutely loved this middle grade book!
September 1, 2016
When her father dies suddenly in a plane crash, Wren Kaiser, 12, is devastated, finding herself living under a cloud of grief with no one to talk to. Refusing to talk about it, Wren's mother reacts with anger, quickly loading up all her husband's possessions into black garbage bags as if trying to throw him out with the trash. And when she discovers the money gone and the mortgage overdue, mother and daughter pack up the car, leaving memories and home in Marietta, GA behind them.
First stop is Chattanooga, TN. Wren is enrolled in school, her mother get a job, and starts dating a man. When her mother refuses to talk to her about her father's death, and with no body to bury, Wren finds herself starting to bury roadkill. A few weeks later, mother and daughter are on the road again, this time to Ohio.
The same pattern as in Chattanooga - new school, new job, new man, pack the car and leave.
Their third stop in the in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in a town called Pyramid and Wren is determined that it will be their last move. At school, Wren is befriended by popular Carrie, who later prefers another new girl named Victoria. But Wren is kept in the friendship, because she's good a math and gives Carrie the answers to their homework. So naturally, when their Social Studies teacher assigns them a project to work on with a partner, Carrie and Victoria stick together, and Wren gets stuck with Theo, a shy unpopular boy.
Meantime, Wren has found her father's binoculars and her old bird watching journal, and has also found a pond surrounded by a wetland where she can sit and observe the wide variety of birds that come there. Unfortunately, the pond, called Pete's Pond, is slated to be destroyed and turned into a landfill, and it is Carrie's father runs the landfill project. Wren and Theo decide to make Pete's Pond the subject of the school project.
As they get to know each other, Wren and Theo discover they are somewhat compatible - Wren bird watches, Theo takes photographs, Wren lost her dad and her mother has retreated into anger, refusing to talk about it, Theo lost his mother to cancer and his father has retreated into himself, refusing to talk about it, and neither is popular at school. But they are well-liked and tremendously helped by the town librarian and the health store owner where Wren works part-time, and Randle, the owner of the junkyard who defies all our preconceived notions of who a junkman is.
Wren has determined that Pyramid is where she and her mother are going to remain, and she is working to add money to their savings in the hope that it help on a down payment for a house. But Wren is also still walking about under the cloud of grief about her father's death.
Can these two friends help each other through their grieving process as they work to save the pond for the wildlife that lives and visits there?
I've always enjoyed reading Monika Schröder's novels and Be Light like a Bird is no exception. Her writing is solid yet lyrical, her plots unfold logically and easily, her main characters are unusual but totally accessible and believable. So naturally, I was immediately pulled into this story narrated in the first person by Wren, whose voice sounded so authentic to me. Perhaps because I lost my father as a teen and could relate to her feelings of being lost, of wanting to talk about her dad, and needing closure so badly that she begins to bury roadkill. And while that sounds so very sad, the novel really is not overwhelmingly so. It is more about coming to terms with the loss and then moving on.
I can't say I found Wren's mother to be a very realized character until the end until I thought about it. For most of the novel, she was more like a nebulous anger but she was supposed to be emotionally distant and absent so I wouldn't say that is writing flaw, but a really well-done characterization of her. On the other hand, Randle the junkman was only in the novel for a short time, yet Schröder has drawn him so well that I really felt the strengthening of his presence as he became more influential in Wren and Theo's life.
Be Light like a Bird is a quiet basically character driven coming of age novel that deals in themes of loss, grief, bullies, courage, hope, being true to oneself, even conservation. In the birding journal that Wren's father gives her, he wrote "Be light like a bird, and not like a feather," a quote from Paul Valéry. And that is just what Wren attempts to do in the novel - to be light like a bird means that you chose the direction of your life, her father explained to her, to be light like a feather means something else determines your direction. It is a lesson both Wren and her mother needed to learn.
Be Light like a Bird would pair up nicely with Nest by Esther Ehrlich, another book about loss and hope and a young protagonist who is a bird watcher.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was sent to me by the author
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading
First stop is Chattanooga, TN. Wren is enrolled in school, her mother get a job, and starts dating a man. When her mother refuses to talk to her about her father's death, and with no body to bury, Wren finds herself starting to bury roadkill. A few weeks later, mother and daughter are on the road again, this time to Ohio.
The same pattern as in Chattanooga - new school, new job, new man, pack the car and leave.
Their third stop in the in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in a town called Pyramid and Wren is determined that it will be their last move. At school, Wren is befriended by popular Carrie, who later prefers another new girl named Victoria. But Wren is kept in the friendship, because she's good a math and gives Carrie the answers to their homework. So naturally, when their Social Studies teacher assigns them a project to work on with a partner, Carrie and Victoria stick together, and Wren gets stuck with Theo, a shy unpopular boy.
Meantime, Wren has found her father's binoculars and her old bird watching journal, and has also found a pond surrounded by a wetland where she can sit and observe the wide variety of birds that come there. Unfortunately, the pond, called Pete's Pond, is slated to be destroyed and turned into a landfill, and it is Carrie's father runs the landfill project. Wren and Theo decide to make Pete's Pond the subject of the school project.
As they get to know each other, Wren and Theo discover they are somewhat compatible - Wren bird watches, Theo takes photographs, Wren lost her dad and her mother has retreated into anger, refusing to talk about it, Theo lost his mother to cancer and his father has retreated into himself, refusing to talk about it, and neither is popular at school. But they are well-liked and tremendously helped by the town librarian and the health store owner where Wren works part-time, and Randle, the owner of the junkyard who defies all our preconceived notions of who a junkman is.
Wren has determined that Pyramid is where she and her mother are going to remain, and she is working to add money to their savings in the hope that it help on a down payment for a house. But Wren is also still walking about under the cloud of grief about her father's death.
Can these two friends help each other through their grieving process as they work to save the pond for the wildlife that lives and visits there?
I've always enjoyed reading Monika Schröder's novels and Be Light like a Bird is no exception. Her writing is solid yet lyrical, her plots unfold logically and easily, her main characters are unusual but totally accessible and believable. So naturally, I was immediately pulled into this story narrated in the first person by Wren, whose voice sounded so authentic to me. Perhaps because I lost my father as a teen and could relate to her feelings of being lost, of wanting to talk about her dad, and needing closure so badly that she begins to bury roadkill. And while that sounds so very sad, the novel really is not overwhelmingly so. It is more about coming to terms with the loss and then moving on.
I can't say I found Wren's mother to be a very realized character until the end until I thought about it. For most of the novel, she was more like a nebulous anger but she was supposed to be emotionally distant and absent so I wouldn't say that is writing flaw, but a really well-done characterization of her. On the other hand, Randle the junkman was only in the novel for a short time, yet Schröder has drawn him so well that I really felt the strengthening of his presence as he became more influential in Wren and Theo's life.
Be Light like a Bird is a quiet basically character driven coming of age novel that deals in themes of loss, grief, bullies, courage, hope, being true to oneself, even conservation. In the birding journal that Wren's father gives her, he wrote "Be light like a bird, and not like a feather," a quote from Paul Valéry. And that is just what Wren attempts to do in the novel - to be light like a bird means that you chose the direction of your life, her father explained to her, to be light like a feather means something else determines your direction. It is a lesson both Wren and her mother needed to learn.
Be Light like a Bird would pair up nicely with Nest by Esther Ehrlich, another book about loss and hope and a young protagonist who is a bird watcher.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was sent to me by the author
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading
November 30, 2016
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
Be Light Like a Bird was a relatively quick read for me, in that I finished the book in less than a day thanks to the quick chapters and the immersive story line. This heart wrenching middle grade novel explores what it means to feel lost and alone after the death of a loved one who gave you so much happiness. It was a hard novel to read and it really did a number on me emotionally.
Wren is a twelve year old girl who has just experienced the most painful losses imaginable - the loss of her father, who made her smile and taught her important life lessons. The two of them shared a love of bird watching and with her mother and father, Wren felt as though her life was happy and complete.
But now her father is gone forever, and her mother doesn't want to talk about it. Instead, she gets rid of her father's belongings, throws their things in their old car, and forces Wren to move from her much loved home. As the two of them drive across the country and settle down in random places, only to have her mother make her move again after they get settled, Wren can't help but wonder why her mother is so bitter and eager to find another man to take his place.
While Wren's world is falling apart, she tries to convince her mother to stay in their most recent stop - the town of Pyramid, Michigan. While her mother works to keep them afloat and Wren starts at a new school, where she tries to make friends with popular girls, she is paired with the class nerd for a project, and even though Wren is disappointed in her partner, the two of them eventually develop a friendship.
When it turns out that Wren's popular friend's father is going to destroy a park and wetland environment that Wren loves to visit to bird watch, she works with her new friend and partner Theo to try and stop it from happening. In the process, she learns about him, including the fact that he enjoys photography and bird watching, too. The loss of his mother and the loss of Wren's father allow them to find solace in each other and become friends, even though it is causing her to lose her old ones. When Wren uncovers some secrets about her father that make her rethink everything she's come to know, it frightens her to think that her one place of peace is at risk, too.
This is the kind of story that reminds me why I love middle grade novels so much. It's raw in emotion and the feelings are so blunt and honest, where in novels for young adults and adults, characters have so many complications around their feelings. Middle grade novels are full of honesty, whether it be refreshing or brutal, and the characters are not afraid to express themselves.
This novel has a vibrant cast of characters that all express their feelings and emotions freely - it isn't a novel that acts as though the target audience does not have emotions or should not behave or feel certain ways, but rather it shows a healthy expression of these emotions. It's okay to get upset with parents for dating when the other parent has passed away. It's okay to fight for things that you believe in, and do so loudly. Many books try to get middle graders to conform and behave, but I love that this book allowed Wren to express her feelings the way she wanted to express them. It was beautifully done.
The one thing that I thought was a little dark about this book was that when Wren would stop to pick up dead animals off the side of the road to give them a proper burial (such as squirrels and the like), the descriptions of them in their current state were just...a bit morbid for me. I didn't feel like they added too much to the story, but rather were just a bit unnerving.
If you are looking for a heartbreaking and heartwarming middle grade novel, this is a great one to choose. It makes you look at the world from a different angle, and the depth of the characters, especially Wren's, is simply amazing and makes the reading experience quite memorable. I loved Wren and Theo together - their friendship isn't instant, and instead it takes a while to form. They eventually bond over their shared grief and love of bird watching, and they learn new things from each other. It was also refreshing to see them together as friends, instead of the romantic relationship that would have developed in a book for an older audience.
As Theo and Wren fought to save the park that they had come to love, it was interesting to see how other members of the community stood up to have a say to save it, too. It shows that teamwork and working together really can make a difference - and in today's world, that is an important message for children and adults of all ages.
As an adult, this book truly touched my heart and gave me a bit of my faith in humanity back. It was beautiful and filled me with hope.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Be Light Like a Bird was a relatively quick read for me, in that I finished the book in less than a day thanks to the quick chapters and the immersive story line. This heart wrenching middle grade novel explores what it means to feel lost and alone after the death of a loved one who gave you so much happiness. It was a hard novel to read and it really did a number on me emotionally.
Wren is a twelve year old girl who has just experienced the most painful losses imaginable - the loss of her father, who made her smile and taught her important life lessons. The two of them shared a love of bird watching and with her mother and father, Wren felt as though her life was happy and complete.
But now her father is gone forever, and her mother doesn't want to talk about it. Instead, she gets rid of her father's belongings, throws their things in their old car, and forces Wren to move from her much loved home. As the two of them drive across the country and settle down in random places, only to have her mother make her move again after they get settled, Wren can't help but wonder why her mother is so bitter and eager to find another man to take his place.
While Wren's world is falling apart, she tries to convince her mother to stay in their most recent stop - the town of Pyramid, Michigan. While her mother works to keep them afloat and Wren starts at a new school, where she tries to make friends with popular girls, she is paired with the class nerd for a project, and even though Wren is disappointed in her partner, the two of them eventually develop a friendship.
When it turns out that Wren's popular friend's father is going to destroy a park and wetland environment that Wren loves to visit to bird watch, she works with her new friend and partner Theo to try and stop it from happening. In the process, she learns about him, including the fact that he enjoys photography and bird watching, too. The loss of his mother and the loss of Wren's father allow them to find solace in each other and become friends, even though it is causing her to lose her old ones. When Wren uncovers some secrets about her father that make her rethink everything she's come to know, it frightens her to think that her one place of peace is at risk, too.
This is the kind of story that reminds me why I love middle grade novels so much. It's raw in emotion and the feelings are so blunt and honest, where in novels for young adults and adults, characters have so many complications around their feelings. Middle grade novels are full of honesty, whether it be refreshing or brutal, and the characters are not afraid to express themselves.
This novel has a vibrant cast of characters that all express their feelings and emotions freely - it isn't a novel that acts as though the target audience does not have emotions or should not behave or feel certain ways, but rather it shows a healthy expression of these emotions. It's okay to get upset with parents for dating when the other parent has passed away. It's okay to fight for things that you believe in, and do so loudly. Many books try to get middle graders to conform and behave, but I love that this book allowed Wren to express her feelings the way she wanted to express them. It was beautifully done.
The one thing that I thought was a little dark about this book was that when Wren would stop to pick up dead animals off the side of the road to give them a proper burial (such as squirrels and the like), the descriptions of them in their current state were just...a bit morbid for me. I didn't feel like they added too much to the story, but rather were just a bit unnerving.
If you are looking for a heartbreaking and heartwarming middle grade novel, this is a great one to choose. It makes you look at the world from a different angle, and the depth of the characters, especially Wren's, is simply amazing and makes the reading experience quite memorable. I loved Wren and Theo together - their friendship isn't instant, and instead it takes a while to form. They eventually bond over their shared grief and love of bird watching, and they learn new things from each other. It was also refreshing to see them together as friends, instead of the romantic relationship that would have developed in a book for an older audience.
As Theo and Wren fought to save the park that they had come to love, it was interesting to see how other members of the community stood up to have a say to save it, too. It shows that teamwork and working together really can make a difference - and in today's world, that is an important message for children and adults of all ages.
As an adult, this book truly touched my heart and gave me a bit of my faith in humanity back. It was beautiful and filled me with hope.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. Our main character, Wren, is struggling with both her father's untimely death as well as her mother's reaction to his death. Initially, I thought the book was going to be all about the travels of Wren and her mother, and that her mother would never learn to settle down. Fortunately, we do see them find a town to settle in and then we get into the middle grade drama that always makes a good story. This drama, in addition to mom vs. daughter and popular vs. unpopular, also includes birdwatching, roadkill, and a landfill. Who knew those things could keep me turning the pages?
Beside those readers into middle grade drama, this book would be a great read for any middle grade student who is into environmental issues, enjoys animals, or has had to deal with heartbreaking loss.
Beside those readers into middle grade drama, this book would be a great read for any middle grade student who is into environmental issues, enjoys animals, or has had to deal with heartbreaking loss.
November 19, 2016
This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.
This is a fairly melancholy book, but not in an overpowering way. I was a little worried about reading Be Light Like a Bird right now, just because I'm already emotionally overextended from stressing out about college stuff, but it actually turned out to be an almost cathartic read for me. Nothing like reading about a girl with a dead dad to put things in perspective, you know?
I'm moved tons of times, so I know how hard it can be to let go of a past home and live somewhere new, but Wren's moves are like a thousand times worse than any I've ever done. She lived in one place–one house–her entire life, and suddenly she's forced to leave all of that behind and start completely from scratch! Add to that the reason for their sudden move (her father's plane crash, which didn't even leave behind a body to be buried), the fact that she didn't even have anything of her father's to remember him by, and things become extremely bleak.
Considering how horrible her experiences were, I can completely understand Wren's anger at her mother and her desperation to put down roots and be absorbed into a support system–any support system. That's why I really kind of despised her mom for most of the book. Even at the end, when we learn a little more about the reasons for her actions, I'm still not really okay with them. Wren shouldn't have had to befriend strangers just to talk about how much she missed her father.
Now that we're on the topic of Wren's new friends, though, I have to say that I really loved them for the most part. I didn't particularly like Carrie, the popular girl Wren decides to befriend as a way of fusing herself into the social hierarchy at school, but I thought the way Wren responded to Carrie's nastiness was much more mature and realistic than the ways characters in other books have handled similar situations. Theo was another slightly stereotypical character (the nerdy unpopular boy who's secretly an ideal best friend for the main character), but somehow I didn't really mind. He and Wren bond over interesting things like bird-watching and photography, and Theo–who's mother died a few years before–is as a compassionate friend who knows exactly what Wren is going through. I hope the two of them stay side-by-side for a very long time.
Honestly, though, I can't put my finger on it but I just wanted . . . more from Be Light Like a Bird. I don't mean more in the sense of having a heavier dosage of Wren's grief, because I think Schröder handled that aspect of the story beautifully, but I just mean more details. If Wren lived her entire life in that one town, why does she barely even think about it? You'd think she'd feel the loss of her old classmates, who were at least familiar even if they weren't her best friends, and that she'd spend more time comparing her old home with this new one. More than anything, though, I honestly felt like we don't get a very good description of her father. We get flashbacks and memories with him in them, but I never feel like I truly know him as a complex and nuanced human being.
To be fair, the focus of Be Light Like a Bird really isn't on Wren's father or her old town, or even on her mother. The focus is on Wren's struggle to move on from her father's death, and I think it does a great job of that. Be Light Like a Bird is a beautiful book in its own way, and I recommend it to anyone who thinks they'd like it.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fairly melancholy book, but not in an overpowering way. I was a little worried about reading Be Light Like a Bird right now, just because I'm already emotionally overextended from stressing out about college stuff, but it actually turned out to be an almost cathartic read for me. Nothing like reading about a girl with a dead dad to put things in perspective, you know?
I'm moved tons of times, so I know how hard it can be to let go of a past home and live somewhere new, but Wren's moves are like a thousand times worse than any I've ever done. She lived in one place–one house–her entire life, and suddenly she's forced to leave all of that behind and start completely from scratch! Add to that the reason for their sudden move (her father's plane crash, which didn't even leave behind a body to be buried), the fact that she didn't even have anything of her father's to remember him by, and things become extremely bleak.
Considering how horrible her experiences were, I can completely understand Wren's anger at her mother and her desperation to put down roots and be absorbed into a support system–any support system. That's why I really kind of despised her mom for most of the book. Even at the end, when we learn a little more about the reasons for her actions, I'm still not really okay with them. Wren shouldn't have had to befriend strangers just to talk about how much she missed her father.
Now that we're on the topic of Wren's new friends, though, I have to say that I really loved them for the most part. I didn't particularly like Carrie, the popular girl Wren decides to befriend as a way of fusing herself into the social hierarchy at school, but I thought the way Wren responded to Carrie's nastiness was much more mature and realistic than the ways characters in other books have handled similar situations. Theo was another slightly stereotypical character (the nerdy unpopular boy who's secretly an ideal best friend for the main character), but somehow I didn't really mind. He and Wren bond over interesting things like bird-watching and photography, and Theo–who's mother died a few years before–is as a compassionate friend who knows exactly what Wren is going through. I hope the two of them stay side-by-side for a very long time.
Honestly, though, I can't put my finger on it but I just wanted . . . more from Be Light Like a Bird. I don't mean more in the sense of having a heavier dosage of Wren's grief, because I think Schröder handled that aspect of the story beautifully, but I just mean more details. If Wren lived her entire life in that one town, why does she barely even think about it? You'd think she'd feel the loss of her old classmates, who were at least familiar even if they weren't her best friends, and that she'd spend more time comparing her old home with this new one. More than anything, though, I honestly felt like we don't get a very good description of her father. We get flashbacks and memories with him in them, but I never feel like I truly know him as a complex and nuanced human being.
To be fair, the focus of Be Light Like a Bird really isn't on Wren's father or her old town, or even on her mother. The focus is on Wren's struggle to move on from her father's death, and I think it does a great job of that. Be Light Like a Bird is a beautiful book in its own way, and I recommend it to anyone who thinks they'd like it.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2018
Wow. I have a new title to recommend at my school visits! This was lovely, I read it in one sitting, and it stayed with me...
September 8, 2016
Reviewed by Olivia
Thoughts: I've recently gotten really interested in realistic fiction novels, when before, I hardly ever read them. I'm not quite sure why - perhaps it is because, lately, I've been exposed to hundreds upon hundreds of incredible realistic fiction books, and it's leaving me itching to read more in this genre. Thus, I was ecstatic when I was offered to read and honestly review a copy of BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD by Monika Shröder.
BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD is honestly like nothing I've seen before. For a realistic fiction book, it has a surprisingly fast-paced plotline, one that pulled me right into the main character's - Wren's - story. This book is fantastic for nature-lovers (like me), as well, because much of the story is focused around Wren's passion for bird-watching, which stemmed from her deceased Dad's similar interest. She eventually bonds with a boy named Theo over this pass-time - which was such an amazing friendship to watch bloom. Wren deals with very realistic, difficult problems throughout the story, including getting peer pressured and having to deal with a mother who isn't being a very responsible in this time of grief. This was all extremely well executed, although a few of the "big ideas" of this book were a little on the nose. The other array of characters that accumulated along the way were also great; I especially liked Randle, a Buddhist/Chippewa Indian who owns a junkyard for cars.
The ending was also perfect: heartwarming, bittersweet, satisfying, and with a huge twist the completely turns the entire story around. Overall, a wonderful, inventive realistic fiction story that I'd recommend to any kid, especially ones aged 12.
Thoughts: I've recently gotten really interested in realistic fiction novels, when before, I hardly ever read them. I'm not quite sure why - perhaps it is because, lately, I've been exposed to hundreds upon hundreds of incredible realistic fiction books, and it's leaving me itching to read more in this genre. Thus, I was ecstatic when I was offered to read and honestly review a copy of BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD by Monika Shröder.
BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD is honestly like nothing I've seen before. For a realistic fiction book, it has a surprisingly fast-paced plotline, one that pulled me right into the main character's - Wren's - story. This book is fantastic for nature-lovers (like me), as well, because much of the story is focused around Wren's passion for bird-watching, which stemmed from her deceased Dad's similar interest. She eventually bonds with a boy named Theo over this pass-time - which was such an amazing friendship to watch bloom. Wren deals with very realistic, difficult problems throughout the story, including getting peer pressured and having to deal with a mother who isn't being a very responsible in this time of grief. This was all extremely well executed, although a few of the "big ideas" of this book were a little on the nose. The other array of characters that accumulated along the way were also great; I especially liked Randle, a Buddhist/Chippewa Indian who owns a junkyard for cars.
The ending was also perfect: heartwarming, bittersweet, satisfying, and with a huge twist the completely turns the entire story around. Overall, a wonderful, inventive realistic fiction story that I'd recommend to any kid, especially ones aged 12.
November 9, 2016
I just finished Monika Schroder’s book Be Light Like a Bird. This book is a must-read story for tweens and teens, as well as for adults. I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review of her book. Thank you, Monika, for your beautiful book with its powerful message. I was caught in the web of your text from the first two pages, even though I squirmed a little as I read it. I am so glad I didn’t miss the wonderfulness of Wren-- a character who is struggling with loss and dealing with her grief alone.
Wren is a great character with whom readers dealing with a loss can identify, and with whom those who have not experienced loss can learn from. We need more books like this- where sympathy for others can be felt, and empathy can be taught. People have a difficult time being empathetic for someone when they can not see into his/her life. Wren’s life is laid bare to the reader, allowing for an understanding that goes deeper than just a superficial day-to-day experience.
I will say that the subject matter will be tough for some readers—real life events often are, but the reader will grow through reading this book and may become a better person because of it.
The cover is beautiful, the text is easy on the eyes, and the length of the story is just right for today’s young readers.
Adults would benefit from reading this story as well; perhaps it would open their eyes to the significance their reactions play in the lives of their children. While Ma’s feelings were legitimate (as is later revealed in the story) she still needs to remember that she has a daughter to protect and care for. Sometimes as adults we lose sight of this during our times of anger and grief.
I also liked the supporting cast of characters in this novel. We get a glimpse into the lives of bullies, nerds, power-hungry businessmen, and honest hard-working store owners, all who play a role in the outcome of this book and of Wren’s life.
All in all, Be Light Like a Bird is a story that needs to be shared. A great read!
Wren is a great character with whom readers dealing with a loss can identify, and with whom those who have not experienced loss can learn from. We need more books like this- where sympathy for others can be felt, and empathy can be taught. People have a difficult time being empathetic for someone when they can not see into his/her life. Wren’s life is laid bare to the reader, allowing for an understanding that goes deeper than just a superficial day-to-day experience.
I will say that the subject matter will be tough for some readers—real life events often are, but the reader will grow through reading this book and may become a better person because of it.
The cover is beautiful, the text is easy on the eyes, and the length of the story is just right for today’s young readers.
Adults would benefit from reading this story as well; perhaps it would open their eyes to the significance their reactions play in the lives of their children. While Ma’s feelings were legitimate (as is later revealed in the story) she still needs to remember that she has a daughter to protect and care for. Sometimes as adults we lose sight of this during our times of anger and grief.
I also liked the supporting cast of characters in this novel. We get a glimpse into the lives of bullies, nerds, power-hungry businessmen, and honest hard-working store owners, all who play a role in the outcome of this book and of Wren’s life.
All in all, Be Light Like a Bird is a story that needs to be shared. A great read!
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