Bird

by Angela Johnson

Devastated by the loss of a second father, thirteen-year-old Bird follows her stepfather from Cleveland to Alabama in hopes of convincing him to come home, and along the way helps two boys cope with their own difficulties.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, African American, Childrens, Family, Teen

Audio CD

First published September 9, 2004

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Angela Johnson is the author of the Coretta Scott King Honor picture book When I Am Old with You; as well as A Sweet Smell of Roses, illustrated by Eric Velasquez; Just Like Josh Gibson, illustrated by Beth Peck; and I Dream of Trains, which was also illustrated by Loren Long. She has won three Coretta Scott King Awards, one each for her novels Heaven, Toning the Sweep, and The First Part Last. In recognition of her outstanding talent, Angela was named a 2003 MacArthur Fellow. She lives in Kent, Ohio.

Reviews

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm honestly not really sure what I thought of this book. It was short and easy to read, but I had a hard time getting into the characters and the plot. It's about a 13 year old girl, just when she thinks she has a family her step dad, Cecil, leaves them. It starts off after he has left her and her mother, but she is certain that if she goes after him, he will return to them. So she lives as a runaway child and makes a friend with the family her Cecil is staying with. Ethan is the nephew of Cecil and finds Bird hiding out behind their farmhouse, he has been sick and just got a new heart and is healthier than he’s ever been, Bird becomes his first friend. As a reader you automatically sympathize with her, but if from another perspective we might find it strange that this young girl is spying on this family and using their shower and eating their food, while they attend church. After Bird leaves the farmhouse she meets a boy named Jay who is getting over the death of his brother. Each of the characters is young and trying to survive something more difficult than a child should bear.
Each chapter is from a different character's perspective, but by the end of the book, each of the characters are tied together somehow. And Bird returns home, realizing that home with her mother is the only place she wants to be. Her nick name is Bird and I think that it is a perfect symbol of her. She leaves the nest to travel to make things better, but she finds that home is the only place she wants to be and so the bird returns to the nest. She found her wings and saw the world, but returned home. It’s great for young readers because so many young teens are dealing with issues beyond their years, and Bird teaches them that they can handle anything, there is always a place to turn to, finding your home is really, finding who loves you, and for some it’s where it always was, but it takes leaving it to see it.

[Dinah Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you read this little gem about Bird and CL running, Jay watching, and Ethan living ?

I found this book while pursuing the library shelves and I wasn’t familiar with it before then.

I was captivated by the way the characters were connected and what was going to happen to each of them.

This is an ambiguous middle grade story and I am happy I stumbled upon it. It’s nothing too heavy but it does have a sad undertone and an ultimately hopeful ending for all.

“I didn’t make it right with him. Can I make it right with you?”
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#bird #angelajohnson #puffinbooks #20booksbyblackwomen #10books10decades #bookchallenges #middlegradebooks #ireadmg #kidlit #readmore #readmorebooks #readdiversely #readdiversebooks #bookstagram #bookquotes #shereadsalot

[Rei · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was called “Bird” by Angela Johnson. This was one of the first books that I have read from this author and it was kind of boring. It was a nice break from the intense book, Push, which I felt happy about. But, this book also made me sad at times. I could almost visualize the protagonist, Cecil trying so hard to persuade her stepfather to come home but she ends up having so many difficulties throughout her life. If I put myself in Cecil’s shoes then I would feel alone and unsafe, because I’m left out and no one really pays attention to her. Which makes her feel left out and not needed in this world. This book tells us how we are ready for some things in life but other things we are not ready for in life. It can connect to many people’s lives now. Especially teenagers, because everything unexpected can happen in our lives. Since we are teenagers who are still growing, our lives can be changed so easily with just a word or two and we make assumptions after everything. I feel like this was a good reading book right after Push. It was a calmer book and I could tell the emotions of Cecil and I know many people can connect to her.

[cinnamon girl ୨୧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Predivan stil pisanja🐦🌝

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chose this because I needed a short, available audio while waiting until one of my other holds was coming in. I can see why many people do not like the ending. There was so much promise to this. So many stories opened up. And while each one kind of had a little closure, it still ended very suddenly. That and the book saying how Bird would bring Ethan and Jay together...that didn't happen. I would like to see so many more scenes with these 3 characters played out in Johnson's very capable writing skills. Quite sad that she let it end so soon and suddenly. That ending alone took away one star to leave it as "It was ok." A shame, too. So much good, so much promise. Even trying hard to see why she chose to end it the way she did still felt exceedingly unsatisfactory. But I am glad that each child's ended on a positive note with each one forging ahead with the next step of their lives--accepting and gaining strength.

[Maureen E]

I figured I should read some of Angela Johnson after she won the Margaret A. Edwards award. This is spare, beautifully plotted, and intense. It does feel like a YA book from 14 years ago, but I can also see her influence in current writers.

[Kiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is as much about what isn’t written as about what is written. You need to look past what’s on the page, read between the lines, and imagine what isn’t being said.

[Emily Voss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bird is the story of three families who have each undergone a terrible struggle.
Bird's stepfather just up and left the family and Bird's mom is convinced he's never coming back. But Bird isn't ready to let go, so she sets out to bring him back.
Ethan recently received a heart transplant and is adjusting to "normal" life after being weak his whole life.
Jay lost his little brother and his family lives in a gloom, trying to move on.

I wanted to like this book, but I can't honestly say I did.
It is poignant in the picture it paints of so many broken hearts, but I was very dissatisfied with the "resolution." The ending was very unfulfilling. It is, I suppose, true-to-life in that it portrays people without sugarcoating their imperfections and complexities. Life isn't a fairy tale. However, I felt like it was really hard to become fully invested in the characters with the perspective changing so frequently in so few pages.

Content warnings:
There is some mild language.

[James Biser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent story about a young lady named Bird who is temporarily without family in a new city. A young local man sneaks her supplies and in time she meets a woman who helps her have a new home.

[Ariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the book Bird was very interesting, although it was very short. I would like for there to be a second book, possibly a sequel. Bird is a book about three kids: Bird, Ethan, and Jay.

Bird, a person, is a girl who has lost her step-father, Cecil. Once he left Bird and her mother and didn’t say goodbye, Bird decides to run away from home to find him, and she meets the other protagonists in the book.

Ethan is one of the other protagonists whom Bird meets. Ethan found her under his parents’ shed and decided to talk to her. Ethan would bring Bird food since she had no way of finding any. One day, Ethan was bringing Bird food back, and she left without a single word.

Jay is the farm boy. Bird would walk into his parents' farmhouse and eat their breakfast leftovers and take a bath in their house when they were away. One day, Jay and his friend Googy, a girl, decided to “steal” Mrs. Pritchard’s old car that looks rather new than old. Mrs. Pritchard had this car ever since she was married to Mr. Pritchard. They stole her car and decided to drive around town. Jay and Googy coated and/or splashed a girl in red dirt. The girl turned out to be Bird. Googy was arrested and Jay was put on house arrest.

I thought the book was great. The details were delightful, and it was so good I couldn’t put it down.

[Mini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me cry. It's an amazing book with an amazing message.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

31 May 2004 BIRD by Angela Johnson, Penguin Group/Dial, October 2004, 132 pages, ISBN: 0-8037-2847-6

"People struggle, people fight
For the simple pleasures in their lives
The trouble comes from everywhere
It's a little more than you can bear

I know that it will hurt
I know it will break your heart the way things are
And the way they've been
And the way they've always been"
--Natalie Merchant

BIRD is an exquisitely crafted tale, expressed in the trio of young voices through which Angela Johnson explores matters of the heart--both metaphorically and literally.

"And I wonder what the farmhouse people would do if I just walked up to them and said, 'Hey.' "

Thirteen-year-old Bird is the first of those narrators. Brokenhearted, she has run away from her home in Ohio in hopes of retrieving her departed stepfather, Cecil.

"Ethan holds his chest when he talks and Jay talks like his heart is in his hands."

Ethan and Jay provide the story's two other voices. After having taken a bus to Alabama, Bird has found shelter in the old shed outside of Ethan's home.

"Even in this little town I don't think they know each other."

Ethan had almost died. But the death of a boy in his town gave Ethan a new lease on life. That boy who died was Jay's brother, Derek.

But why has Bird chosen to come here?

"I miss my mom.
"I even miss the people here that I can see every day if I want.
'Cause they aren't mine. All these people going in and out of their houses in this place I'm gonna leave anytime--they don't belong to me.
"I'm borrowing them until I get what I came for.
"Hope it's not wrong to borrow them. It doesn't mean I don't like them or care about them. I'm only passing through and borrowing." Bird's quiet alightment in the boys' town brings heart to all those with whom she comes in contact.
"My arms are lighter when I walk back to the house."

Beautifully written and ending all too soon, Angela Johnson's bittersweet story of love, life, and loss is one that is sure to touch readers.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...

[Natalie Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bird is a thirteen year old runaway. She left her hometown of Cleveland in search of her stepfather who walked out on her mother and her. He is the second father that she has lost in her lifetime, her own father died when she was very young and she only has a few happy memories with him. Her search brings her to the quiet town of Acorn, Alabama. It is here, that she befriends two boys around her age. This story unfolds through each of their perspectives.
Since the author is telling us this story through the eyes of these three young souls, we get a glimpse into their lives and see that each of them is dealing with their own personal struggles. While Bird is in this small community she touches the hearts of the few that she comes into contact with. Jay had just lost his young brother with whom he was very close and he is broken hearted. Ethan is a boy who grew up being very sick and lonely, until he receives a heart transplant and now is able to do things that he had never been able to do before. He is trying to accept this gift of life that he has been given.
All three of these characters are very much intertwined and Bird sees this connection but she doesn't want to interfere too much in their lives because she is only "passing through". She says "I miss my mom. I even miss the people here that I can see every day if I want. 'Cause they aren't mine. All these people going in and out of their houses in this place I'm going to leave anytime-they don't belong to me. I am borrowing them until I get what I came for. Hope it's not wrong to borrow them. It doesn't mean I don't like them or care about them. I'm only passing through and borrowing."
This story is unique and beautifully written. It’s a quick read and I highly recommend this book, which would be ideal for sixth to eight graders. At that age I feel students might be able to relate to the emotions of these three characters. It is a touching story that teaches it's readers about life and loss and overcoming pain and obstacles. I found the book to be engaging from cover to cover, although I will say that I felt as though it ended rather abruptly and left me with some unanswered questions.

[Julie Trapp · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 13 yr old Bird has run away from Ohio to Alabama to follow her stepfather who has left and try to convince him to come back. While living in the shed behind his (Cecil) house, she meets Ethan, Cecil's nephew, who has recently had a heart transplant. She also meets Jay whose brother has just died and whose heart Ethan has received. The chapters go between the 3 teens. Jay is put on house arrest as he "stole" Mrs. Pritchard's truck for a joy ride. He meets Bird when he sneaks out one night. Mrs. Pritchard meets Bird and tho Bird says nothing is wrong, Mrs. P. knows something is not quite right and invites her to her home for as long as she feels necessary. Not my favorite book at all. Where was Bird's mom in all this? If my 13 yr old just left, I'd want to know where/why. How does she actually live in a run down shed/how does Ethan get away with feeding her/how does the family NOT know someone has been living in the house when they go to church?????? Lots of unanswered questions. A very short book and quick read.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good, i liked my last book better though. This book is about a girl named bird running away from her mom to find her step dad cecil. My favorite part would have to be when she decides to go back home. There are two other major characters you should know about Ethan and Jay they are also important. I recommend this book to middle schoolers mostly because it was very easy to read.

[Elizabeth Nagy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting. I didn't like the ending though.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I though it was pretty good, but some parts could be a little stronger in emotian

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gentle story about family, love and loss, not death, but of someone leaving you behind. It's also about how generous people can be to take care of someone in need.

[Van]

I read a book called Bird by Angela Johnson. Bird was about a girl called Bird whose step father abandoned her. Bird was determined to get him back. Along the way, Bird meets two boys. One of the boys’ mom was living with Cecil. Cecil is the step father that abandoned Bird and her family. In determination to get Cecil back, Bird also develops a strong bond with that one boy named Ethan. If Bird takes Cecil back, then Ethan will be devastated. Love, friendships, and determination. When the book begins, Bird had run away from her family in search of Cecil. Love is a major component that devoted Bird to find Cecil. She loves her family and describes how her family felt torn apart without Cecil. Bird says, “ Everything in me missed Cecil. Everything. Mom knew it too, and she watched me like I might fall down stairs or break stuff accidentally.” This quote displays how much Bird is affected ever since Cecil has been gone. Bird loved Cecil, and now that he is gone, Bird is determined to get him back. Moreover, Bird says, “ When he left, I began thinking that nobody else would ever call me that again, and my heart started to hurt.” Bird is referring to the fact that Cecil was the only person that called Bird “Bird.” Now that Cecil isn’t around anymore, Bird doesn’t ever get called “Bird” anymore. This makes Bird’s heart hurt. Love is an important aspect that is displayed in Bird by Angela Johnson. Love is what motivates Bird to find Cecil and bring him back home.
Other then love, friendships are also a big theme explored in Bird. Bird develops a strong friendship that will help her stay motivated, but will also hurt her. Bird develops a strong bond with Ethan, a boy that Cecil moved in with after he abandoned Bird’s family. Cecil starts living with Ethan’s mom and Ethan. As a result, Bird sleeps in a shed outside Ethan’s house waiting for the right time to take Cecil back. However, Ethan spots Bird hiding and talks to her. They develop a strong bond with each other. Bird really wants to take Cecil back, but also doesn’t want to hurt Ethan emotionally. Between love and friendship, Bird must choose Ethan or Cecil. In the end, Bird realizes that she doesn’t want to hurt Ethan, and decides that Cecil is better off with Ethan. This decision was so hard for Bird to make, but she realized how much Ethan had done for Bird. Throughout the novel, Ethan brings meals for Bird everyday. Ethan goes out of his way to help Bird. Therefore, bird could never just take Cecil away from Ethan. Friendship overruled the love for Cecil. Even though friendship and love are both two key aspects of this novel, we can infer Angela Johnson wanted friendship to be more important in the novel Bird.
The final aspect conveyed is determination. Determination is a character trait that Bird has with her throughout the entire novel. Without determination, Bird would have never gotten as far as she did when searching for Cecil. Determination is a trait that Bird adapts from her mother. She says, “I guess in the end I’m more like my mom than I thought. Cause I’ve gone a lot of miles.” Bird is trying to say that she is like her mom because they both don’t give up easy. Bird describes how she has traveled a lot of miles. Bird describes how wet it is, but that doesn’t stop her either. Nothing has stopped Bird from finding Cecil.
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. Like I said, it showed themes of love, friendship, and determination. With all of these themes, it created suspense that made me want to keep reading. I thought the book could have been a little bit longer because the resolution was very short. I feel that everything wasn’t quite resolved. With that being said, however, I would still recommend Bird to everyone.

[Avery France · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because classmates from my Young Adult Lit class had read and recommended it. It was described as a short read that dealt with connections and how to deal with loss and that sounded like an interesting and worthwhile read. I am glad I read it, because it gave a great exploration of how different people deal with pain and loss and issues they have.

I would recommend this book to both boys and girls, and I would most specifically recommend this book to middle school age groups. I feel like it would be a great book for grades 6-9. It is a short and easy read and the characters are around 13 years old, so they would be most relatable to these age groups. I think this book could really help students who have dealt with loss and abandonment. I think the themes of helping others and of coping with pain are very worthwhile in exploring. I feel that this book would be a great way to teach character development and character analysis in the classroom. The characters change throughout the book and noting that and identifying character traits could be very beneficial to students. It would be interesting to compare and contrast how different characters deal with loss and pain. I think this book is a very useful tool for students to understand their own loss, to see different viewpoints, and to learn about character analysis and development.

Warnings
- Adult characters say a mild swear word twice.
- A character commits a crime with a friend and sneaks away from the house when he is on house arrest.
- A character runs away from home.

[Suziesunshine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read this because it is similar to what i like to write. It is about a young girls family struggles which is a theme throughout my own stories, and is written in a nontraditional style. It switches back and forth from a few different narrators and portrays their thoughts in an almost poetic way revealing deep emotion even though the voice is very matter of fact. I would recommend this book to adults caught in toxic situations or who are afraid to face change. I would reccommend it to middle school aged individuals who feel alone.

This book could be used in conjunction with a creative writing unit at the middle school or high school level to discuss point of view in novels. The question "why did the author choose to use multiple first person narrators instead of a single omniscient third person narrator?" for example could lead to a discussion on the power of dramatic irony or the limitations of an objective narrator.
It could also be used to discuss what it means to be loved or why people chase what they are comfortable with even though it hurts them.

Complex negative family relationships including fighting parents, death, family abandonment, and secrecy.
One character goes to a juvenile detention center for stealing a car.
Co-ed swimming in underwear, non sexual.


and a bulleted list of any content warnings (drugs, sex, rock & roll, language, violence, etc.).

[Benjamin Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it looked like a fast and interesting read. The voice is what really makes the book compelling. It's told from three different perspectives, each with young and distinct voices. Because of this, the book feels like a real-world story and presents modern problems that adolescents face, such as feelings of abandonment, of loss of a loved one, and of not knowing what to do with one's life.

The book would work great in a class setting. The tone is simple and easy to follow and would be well suited for ages 9+. This story would be great to read together, as it's short and simple, and the narration lends it a lot of power. Despite this, the issues discussed here, such as running away or being left alone, are ones that many adolescents could relate to. I believe the best way to teach this book is to read it aloud to a younger class and share some of the thoughts and principles with them.

Content Warnings:
Language: This book is light on language, with only words like "crap" making up the vulgar vocabulary.
Sexual content: Negligible, if any.
Violence: There are no explicit scenes, but death is mentioned in the past tense, and the characters mourn the loss of loved ones.
Edgy themes: The main character runs away from home, and lives without parental guidance. This book does not encourage that behavior, but it does happen.

[Kinzie West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bird by Angela johnson is about a girls who runs away from home to find her Mother's ex boyfriend. She meets a boy named Ethan why hiding in his shed. She finds her Mom’s Ex Boyfriend but can’t speak to him. She runs away from the shed and finds someone to let her into their home. The journey she takes to find him and what she does.
It is very detailed. It was a good book but had some flaws. It sometimes would drag on the story like when it talks about the heart donated to ethan. The book does have some good details to. It teaches a little on the problem of bullying when a boy named Jay thinks about his brother. It shows how he regretted calling names and teasing him. It also show that he knows he can’t take it back. I like how the book is very creative. I also like how the book changes point of view. It gives you an idea of what other people are thinking.
The journey can be better than the destination. Bird is a girl who runs away from home. Looking for her Mother’s ex C.L. Who she loves like a father. When she goes to find him she soon realizes she is going going to miss and even more people she will meet. But when she ends her journey she starts to miss the people she met and the memories she made.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bird is a young 13 year old girls who wants nothing more than to make her family whole again after her step dad walks out on them. She is convinced that if she follows him to Alabama, he will have to come back home with her. On her adventure she befriends two boys her age, Jay and Ethan. Jay is dealing with heartache of his own because he just lost his little brother. Ethan just received a heart transplant after living a very lonely life and now wants to do all he can to live life to the fullest. Bird is eventually taken by Mrs. Pritchard after hiding out in a shed and sneaking in to eat when the family was at church. Bird realizes at the end of the novel that home is with her mom, even if it means her father is not.

I wasn't a fan of this book, but it was okay. The last three books that I have read by Angela Johnson have not left a significant impact on me. Frankly, I found them boring but know that they could've been better because they were great stories, just missed some emotion and excitement! I liked this novel the most of the other 3 I read by Johnson, I would suggest it to a young adult who is looking for a short, simple read but with caution that it's not very exciting.

This book contains a few swear words.

[Noelle Rohovit · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book for a class, as a recommendation from both my teacher and fellow classmates. It was short and so I figured I’d give it a chance. To be honest, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the book. I like the idea of people’s stories crossing over, but other than that, this book fell short. If I did recommend this book, it would be to anyone who feels that they’re searching. I think that’s a strong theme in this book.
As a future teacher, I’m not really sure how I would teach this book. Maybe we could practice analyzing each of the character’s lives, and what exactly they are each searching for. I definitely think, somewhere there’s a kid who would 100% love this book and relate to it. As a result, I think it’s one I’d like to have in my classroom, especially because it’s high interest, low level.
WARNINGS:
• Drugs: N/A
• Sex: N/A
• Violence/Gore: N/A
• Language: 3 H words, 4 D words
• Rock & Roll: I’d say the aspect of searching might be intense for some readers, given their own personal circumstances. Death is talked about; a family member walking out is also discussed as well as other situations that might cause some negative feelings for others.

[Brenna O'Reilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose to read this book because it looked like a quick read and had an interesting premise. It definitely was a quick read like I thought but I struggled a bit with the storyline. The overall theme of the story is how people's kindness and love for each other can heal others and themselves. This didn't fully come across, however, and I felt that there was a complete lack of a plot. There wasn't really a rise and fall it was a very linear story. I thought it was cute, but it wasn't really anything to write home about.
I would probably recommend this book to my youngest sister who would be able to relate to it better, being in that age range. Being able to hear about how you can help others through their hardships just by being there for them is something I think young people like her could really benefit from.
Warnings
Sex: No
Drugs: No
R&R: Girl is abandoned by stepfather, boy dies from aneurysm, one boy was very sick, girl runs away from home.
Language: No
Violence: A girl in juvey talks about girls getting in knife fights.

[Cori Silver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book piqued my interest the day in class where we read random bits of a book for a few minutes, and so I decided I would read it once I got the chance. I would suggest this book to those who are missing a parent, especially if that parent left of their own volition. I would also suggest this book to teens who want something light, but with deep meaning, to read.

In a middle school or high school classroom setting, I could use this book as reading material for a classroom. After having students read the book, we could discuss what worked in the book, and if anything in the book did not work or make sense. I could also use the book to teach students to analyze materials in a deeper way than they may be accustomed to.

Warnings:
• Sex: Tweens swim in their underwear.
• Language: Some hints at swear words.
• Violence: Mention of one character being abused as a child.
• Drugs: None
• Rock and Roll: First main character is a runaway living in someone’s shed, third main character steels a truck and constantly escapes from house arrest.

[Brianna Dunlap · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book due to it being introduced to me in my Young Adult Literature class. It seemed like a fairly quick read and had a cute cover. I also heard it came from different view points and I really wanted to read it after hearing that. I would recommend this book to a tween audience. It is a fast read and I know that I would have enjoyed it as a middle school student.
I could use see myself using it in a middle school classroom by having it on the bookshelves available to them. Then I can assign kids to read a certain amount of books and this could be an option there for them. This isn’t exactly a book that I would have the entire class read together. Not that it doesn’t have a good message but I couldn’t see myself having it be a priority read for middle schoolers.
Content warnings:
There isn’t much to warn against. The only thing is the concept of running away and a swear word in the book a couple of times.

[Sarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bird is one of the only books I've seen reluctant readers fall into headfirst. My sixth grade girls and boys alike are climbing into the pages, reluctant to lift their eyes when I call for bookmarks to be inserted and attention to be returned to class.

The book was interesting. At some moments, me and my students struggled to track with the perspective changes between chapters, simply because every character is narrated in a first person perspective. It was well written and I get the feeling that if we were to pause and discuss this book we would find endless connections and observations. It's truly a living story, with depths the reader will not discover on first read. It requires continued attention.

Although I did not love the ending, I was satisfied by it. Where I felt unsatisfied, I was able to hold a knowing that if I were to meditate on this story, the ending would be more and more justified. I felt like it was a puzzle left unsolved.

This is a book I will highly recommend to my students next year.

[Zachery Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book, because the first two pages peaked my interest. I didn't know exactly what it was about, but I wanted to. I recommend this book for anyone who is looking for something. At one point in our lives, we all find ourselves missing something we did not know we had. Or, we didn't have it, but now we need it. From it's perspective, Bird guides young adults through this part of life that so often occurs at such ages as thirteen.

I think students would enjoy this book. it is fast paced, a quick read, and someone may very well relate to it. I would use it maybe, to teach about human connection. What it means to be lost, and found again.