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Bird
A girl easily carried off by the wind.
An elderly widow whose husband died under strange circumstances.
An isolated dwelling that breeds fear.
Miranda has no recollection of where she came from—only that years ago, a gust of wind deposited her outside Bourne Manor. The Manor’s sole inhabitant, Wysteria Barrows, took Miranda in and promptly outfitted her with special boots—boots weighted with steel bars to keep her anchored to the ground. But aside from shelter and clothing, Miranda receives little warmth from the aging widow. The Manor, too, is a cold place, full of drafts and locked doors. Full of menace. Full of secrets.
Then one day a boy named Farley appears. Farley helps Miranda embrace her destiny with the wind . . . and uncover the Manor’s hidden past.
An elderly widow whose husband died under strange circumstances.
An isolated dwelling that breeds fear.
Miranda has no recollection of where she came from—only that years ago, a gust of wind deposited her outside Bourne Manor. The Manor’s sole inhabitant, Wysteria Barrows, took Miranda in and promptly outfitted her with special boots—boots weighted with steel bars to keep her anchored to the ground. But aside from shelter and clothing, Miranda receives little warmth from the aging widow. The Manor, too, is a cold place, full of drafts and locked doors. Full of menace. Full of secrets.
Then one day a boy named Farley appears. Farley helps Miranda embrace her destiny with the wind . . . and uncover the Manor’s hidden past.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
10 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
About the author
Rita Murphy
6 books11 followersRita Murphy is the author of Night Flying (2000), Black Angels (2001), Harmony (2002), Looking For Lucy Buick (2005), Bird (2008) and Hurricane Henry (2025).
Night Flying, winner of the Delacorte Press Prize at Random House Children's Books, was voted a Best Book for Young Adults by The American Library Association and Smithsonian Magazine.
Rita studied at the University of Vermont and Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She has been a creative writing instructor at The Monteverde Friends School in Costa Rica, Breadloaf Young Writers Conference in Vermont, and guest author in Vermont Public Schools.
Rita lives with her family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
Night Flying, winner of the Delacorte Press Prize at Random House Children's Books, was voted a Best Book for Young Adults by The American Library Association and Smithsonian Magazine.
Rita studied at the University of Vermont and Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She has been a creative writing instructor at The Monteverde Friends School in Costa Rica, Breadloaf Young Writers Conference in Vermont, and guest author in Vermont Public Schools.
Rita lives with her family in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
February 7, 2017
All it takes to send Miranda soaring through the air is a strong gust of wind. It was a powerful current that blew her to Bourne Manor. After being found in the brambles by an elderly woman named Wysteria Barrows, she was taken to the Manor and given a hot meal. There she remained, in a house that sheltered her and held her prisoner.
In those early years, when I was still allowed outside the Manor, Wysteria had fashioned, with the help of the local shoemaker, a pair of boots with a steel plate in each sole to keep me anchored to the ground. She insisted I wear them always, as she feared above all else that I would be carried off by another random gust and lost to her forever.
Bourne Manor is a strange dwelling rife with mystery. It is said to harbor a cursed fortune that's never been found, and each night Wysteria insists every window and door in the house be locked, though she won't say why.
The home of Wysteria Barrows was a looming structure that had the appearance of having grown sideways out of the earth. Though firmly anchored, it lists dramatically to the left like an old tree turned by the wind, its foundation clinging to the red stone cliffs for support as a tern might cling in a storm.
In some ways this book hearkens to the story of Rapunzel. Miranda spends much of her time locked in Bourne Manor, viewing the world from the tallest tower, until a young boy comes along and reignites her interest in leaving the manor and exploring the world.
I viewed them only from behind a thick layer of glass, for I spent a great deal of time merely looking out at life through the leaded panes of the Manor's multitude of locked windows.
With its subtle elements of magical realism, which every character accepts without blinking, Bird also exudes vibes reminiscent of a Hayao Miyazaki film; it's liable to appeal to readers who are fans of his work (and, by extension, to fans of Diana Wynne Jones' novels).
For all its charm, however, this book suffers from untapped potential. There's little to no conflict to drive the story, nor do the characters express anything akin to deep desire or want. Miranda's supernatural ability to drift on the wind is never fully explained. The minor mystery at the heart of the story is resolved by characters having sudden realizations that occur without preamble. And, finally, some elements of the ending lack closure.
Bird is a quaint tale that would have sparkled with a little more polishing.
In those early years, when I was still allowed outside the Manor, Wysteria had fashioned, with the help of the local shoemaker, a pair of boots with a steel plate in each sole to keep me anchored to the ground. She insisted I wear them always, as she feared above all else that I would be carried off by another random gust and lost to her forever.
Bourne Manor is a strange dwelling rife with mystery. It is said to harbor a cursed fortune that's never been found, and each night Wysteria insists every window and door in the house be locked, though she won't say why.
The home of Wysteria Barrows was a looming structure that had the appearance of having grown sideways out of the earth. Though firmly anchored, it lists dramatically to the left like an old tree turned by the wind, its foundation clinging to the red stone cliffs for support as a tern might cling in a storm.
In some ways this book hearkens to the story of Rapunzel. Miranda spends much of her time locked in Bourne Manor, viewing the world from the tallest tower, until a young boy comes along and reignites her interest in leaving the manor and exploring the world.
I viewed them only from behind a thick layer of glass, for I spent a great deal of time merely looking out at life through the leaded panes of the Manor's multitude of locked windows.
With its subtle elements of magical realism, which every character accepts without blinking, Bird also exudes vibes reminiscent of a Hayao Miyazaki film; it's liable to appeal to readers who are fans of his work (and, by extension, to fans of Diana Wynne Jones' novels).
For all its charm, however, this book suffers from untapped potential. There's little to no conflict to drive the story, nor do the characters express anything akin to deep desire or want. Miranda's supernatural ability to drift on the wind is never fully explained. The minor mystery at the heart of the story is resolved by characters having sudden realizations that occur without preamble. And, finally, some elements of the ending lack closure.
Bird is a quaint tale that would have sparkled with a little more polishing.
January 19, 2009
This one is a little like a beautiful balloon - an intricate and interesting exterior, but hollow inside... The protagonist is a tiny girl who is blown around by the wind until she finds a home at Bourne Manor. The old house on the edge of a cliff is rumored to be haunted, and Miranda has strange and mysterious experiences with the house, its mistress, and the kites she finds hidden in the top-most room. She knows no one and nothing beyond Bourne Manor, until a boy named Farley comes into her life and helps her see herself, the house, and the wind in a new way.
There is so much here, but so much left unexplored. Some significant details are delivered in passing, others are omitted entirely. Bird is beautifully written, but ultimately disappointing.
There is so much here, but so much left unexplored. Some significant details are delivered in passing, others are omitted entirely. Bird is beautifully written, but ultimately disappointing.
November 30, 2009
This book is so beautiful, and not just the cover, which is also stunning. I love the main character, Miranda, a girl so light she is carried off by the wind. It is almost like a dream, and has beautiful sentences and poetic imagry. When she discribes the red dragon kite flying away...and other scenes in the book, it almost seemed like poetry. I know some people have written bad reviews for this book and say that it's not good enough for "thier high and mighty expectations for books that they read like they're so good at being a critic or something". and i just want to say that that's stupid. i mean, can't you appreaciate a beautiful story without ripping it apart and analysing it? lol sorry i'm not really sure what i'm saying but this is a really good book ...
i'll admit that i was really attracted by the cover which is sooooo pretty, but i think it really fits the book :] i love the characterization, Miranda, who is so small and light, has courage that most grown men wouldn't have. Bourne Manor really creeped me out how when she went to sleep the door was closed and when she awoke it was open, though she never saw the key move. i loved her friendship with Farley and how he didn't leave. in short this is a beautiful book and i recomend it to everybody : ]
i'll admit that i was really attracted by the cover which is sooooo pretty, but i think it really fits the book :] i love the characterization, Miranda, who is so small and light, has courage that most grown men wouldn't have. Bourne Manor really creeped me out how when she went to sleep the door was closed and when she awoke it was open, though she never saw the key move. i loved her friendship with Farley and how he didn't leave. in short this is a beautiful book and i recomend it to everybody : ]
September 5, 2013
Bird is a very simple book. It is bare of complex metaphors or purple prose, and the symbolism is basic and very easy to understand. It was like reading a children's book.
But, in the best way possible. It drew back memories of being a child, of wishing I could fashion wings out of my scarves and glide off my roof. Rita Murphy struck just the right note, and it rang clear. I slipped into the mind of Miranda with ease, and I shared her experience of breaking her chain, her tethers, and soaring away.
The characters were the best part of this little book. I loved them, especially Miranda and Farley. I felt fondness for Mr. Barrows, even though we never met him, only hearing secondhand information and seeing the puzzles he left behind. Even the Hounds were wonderful, making me want to roll around in the sand with them and scratch their wild fur. Some of the other characters were underdeveloped, but carefully crafted, with enough detail to not leave them bland. All of them have claimed a spot in my mind, and won't be leaving anytime soon.
The feeling of being trapped is a familiar one for most adolescents, and, for that reason, is overdone in storytelling. But this book. This book hit home. I've felt Miranda's anxieties. I've struggled with a lot anxiety for the last few years. I just wish I had found this book before, when I needed it most. But it did not arrive too late, I think. The words were still reassuring. For example:
"It is not real," he whispered. "This place is only a thought that has grabbed hold of you. It cannot harm you. You are not of this place, and it has no power over you. You do not need it, nor do you owe it any of your allegiance." — Farley (ch14, p142)
I want to take this quote and etch it into my wall, frame it, print it on my arm, repeat it under my breath until it's as familiar as my name. I sucked in a breath when I read it. Luckily, I had people who took my hand and told me the same thing. You are not of this place, and it has no power over you. It cannot harm you. So simple and obvious, but so powerful to those who need to hear it.
The rest of Chapter 14, "The Day of the Flight", was just as beautiful and pleasing to read. Easily my favorite chapter. I can understand how some thought the ending was anti-climatic, but I loved it. It gave as much information as we needed, in the same straightforward voice that had told us the rest. It fit into the puzzle. I couldn't imagine ending it another way, without making the last chapter clunky and heavy, when the book was anything but.
The only complainants I have are:
Some of the characters explained past events to Miranda a little too eagerly. It seemed like a quick, easy way to give the reader back-story without adding more chapters, which I understand. The story worked best as it was, feeling more like a short story than a novel.
The beginning started off slow and was hard to get into. This may have just been because I was tired, but the book seemed to pick up when the Doctor entered the story.
All in all, this is a shy little book that will accompany you best on a rainy day, or perhaps on a short flight or a long car drive. (I'd bring a few other books along if you plan to be gone longer than a day.)
It's plain vocabulary may seem dull, but the soft and airy tone the book carried, as well as the jittery, trapped feeling it invoked, combined together to perfectly pull the reader into the story and into Miranda's heavy boots, letting the reader live as a girl growing her wings. Letting us live as a bird ready to fly.
Thank you very much for reading. It's okay if you don't agree with my opinion. You can exit it out of this review and go snuggle up with a book you do enjoy. Big bear hugs to you all the same, friend.
January 6, 2009
Another little jewel of a book from Rita Murphy, about a young girl who is so light that the wind picks her up and carries her off. She ends up being rescued by a woman who owns the mysterious Bourne Manor, who takes her in and gives her shelter and clothing. She also makes her mend fishing nets to keep them solvent, homeschools her in whatever she thinks is important, and makes her wear weighted steel boots so she can't fly off again. Miranda secretly explores the huge house, and knows there are secrets waiting to be uncovered. One day when she is flying a kite from the "glass house" atop the roof, she loses it and a boy named Farley appears to give it back. He eventually also helps her discover her identity and escape from the clutches of the house and the Widow Barrows, by flying off together in a kite-powered set of wings created by the dead Captain Barrows many years before. Farley thinks Miranda is a "bird" person. Great coming-of-age, finding identity, and also pretty creepy parts when she is alone in the house after Mrs. Barrows goes to the hospital with pneumonia. Murphy seems to like the theme of girls flying free quite a bit!
May 25, 2023
This was okay. Good writing but I didn't feel strongly to the story. If I was much younger I'd probably like this a lot better. 3 ⭐.
February 20, 2009
Miranda is a slight girl who is easily lifted and carried by the wind. It deposited her next to Bourne Manor, an imposing house that is home to the widow Wysteria and the four Hounds. Wysteria takes Miranda in - the girl has no memory of where she came from before the wind took her - and puts her to work mending nets for the local fisherman. She also makes Miranda wear a pair of weighted shoes, to keep her from flying off again. As the years pass, Miranda learns some of the secrets of the Manor, hearing rumors of a lost treasure and discovering an attic full of beautiful kites built my Wysteria's dead husband. After the appearance of a friendly boy named Farley, Miranda realizes that the Manor has an insidious hold on her and seeks a way to escape.
I don't know how a book that is relatively short can come across as taking too long to develop, and yet still not completely tell a story. This is a fairly intriguing plot when you boil it down to its basics: Miranda is a mysterious girl who can be carried by the wind, she's trapped in Bourne Manor by the house or by Wysteria, the house is cursed/haunted and corrupts its inhabitants, and there's a mystery about Wysteria's husband that Miranda and Farley solve. A third of the book is dedicated to explaining the daily life of Miranda and Wysteria, and this is just way too long. It's difficult to tell if Wysteria is supposed to be a villain (she has trapped Miranda in the house and works her pretty hard) or just an old woman who's trying to get by (they're often starving) and has succumbed to the house's influence. You feel sorry for her, particularly when she gets pneumonia. The house itself is a confusing character - it's only in the last couple of chapters that it becomes malevolent. It would've been much more effective to show the house's influence over the seven years (which pass in the first 28 pages) Miranda lives there, rather than the few weeks at the end of the story.
The plot really picks up when Farley becomes a regular character and he gives Miranda some of her background. The language is pretty and on the verge of being purple prose. However, for all the descriptions we get, I had a terrible time understanding just how small or how old Miranda was. I also couldn't tell who the intended audience is for this book - professional reviews suggest tweens, but the language is just so proper that I think it would be a hard sell. The cover (which is probably the best thing about the book), the length, and the plot make me think it's for children, but I think the language works even less for that crowd.
Overall, this just feels like a very underdeveloped story. If you chopped out the first third of the book and gave more depth to Miranda, Wysteria, and the house, this would be much better.
I don't know how a book that is relatively short can come across as taking too long to develop, and yet still not completely tell a story. This is a fairly intriguing plot when you boil it down to its basics: Miranda is a mysterious girl who can be carried by the wind, she's trapped in Bourne Manor by the house or by Wysteria, the house is cursed/haunted and corrupts its inhabitants, and there's a mystery about Wysteria's husband that Miranda and Farley solve. A third of the book is dedicated to explaining the daily life of Miranda and Wysteria, and this is just way too long. It's difficult to tell if Wysteria is supposed to be a villain (she has trapped Miranda in the house and works her pretty hard) or just an old woman who's trying to get by (they're often starving) and has succumbed to the house's influence. You feel sorry for her, particularly when she gets pneumonia. The house itself is a confusing character - it's only in the last couple of chapters that it becomes malevolent. It would've been much more effective to show the house's influence over the seven years (which pass in the first 28 pages) Miranda lives there, rather than the few weeks at the end of the story.
The plot really picks up when Farley becomes a regular character and he gives Miranda some of her background. The language is pretty and on the verge of being purple prose. However, for all the descriptions we get, I had a terrible time understanding just how small or how old Miranda was. I also couldn't tell who the intended audience is for this book - professional reviews suggest tweens, but the language is just so proper that I think it would be a hard sell. The cover (which is probably the best thing about the book), the length, and the plot make me think it's for children, but I think the language works even less for that crowd.
Overall, this just feels like a very underdeveloped story. If you chopped out the first third of the book and gave more depth to Miranda, Wysteria, and the house, this would be much better.
August 31, 2016
This book was an amazing, detailed, and well written. Rita Murphy's use of diction and sensory details was very well thought out. It was on the verge of being an all "real book", but she included certain twists that changed the reality just a bit to make it more fantasy-like. I feel like even though she didn't include many 'main' characters in the book (technically only four, along with the side characters), she somehow made it work out; not adding unneeded and excessive dialogue and actions, since there's so few characters.
Here's a brief overview of the story- Miranda is a young girl living with Wysteria Barrows (not her mother, but takes care of her) in a tall, dusty old building called Bourne Manor. Miranda is Wysteria's lawful servant; she's told what to do and when to do it. Life seemed very bland and distasteful. For she worked excessive hours on weaving nets, which scraped up her fingers, and attended to Wysteria's every order. She's harsh and doesn't let Miranda live a normal childhood.
Although it is quite a satire and slightly boring start to a story, Rita Murphy brought life into it, unvealing a secret connection Miranda has with the wind; and hidden secrets about Bourne Manors past with the famous sailor who died there. She also added 'life' by including important key characters that have a relationship with Miranda: Farley, a young boy she meets and who helps her reveal the secrets; Dr. Mead, the doctor that helps them later when Wysteria becomes ill; and "The Hounds", the four dogs that help protect and guard over Miranda when needed. I was very happy with how these characters played out, even with the dogs, in most stories they're just for an extra addition. Since its an average thing to have a pet dog, but they don't play a key part in the story. The hounds did, helping Miranda when she had to venture out of Bourne Manor, and helping her with her connection to the wind.
This story played out very nicely, with a generally happy ending (I will choose not to spoil, but she gets away from the story's main problem). I was just disappointed in the characters that were left behind in the end, I would've for sure changed the ending, I did in fact cry from that... although they were generally unfavored characters, its still sad to see anyone go. I for sure favored Farley as my favorite character. He was a very helpful character and made a spark in Miranda's life, which I appreciate. This was a lovely book and didn't get boring at any point, It may not have been action packed, but a story doesn't need that to have special flavor.
Here's a brief overview of the story- Miranda is a young girl living with Wysteria Barrows (not her mother, but takes care of her) in a tall, dusty old building called Bourne Manor. Miranda is Wysteria's lawful servant; she's told what to do and when to do it. Life seemed very bland and distasteful. For she worked excessive hours on weaving nets, which scraped up her fingers, and attended to Wysteria's every order. She's harsh and doesn't let Miranda live a normal childhood.
Although it is quite a satire and slightly boring start to a story, Rita Murphy brought life into it, unvealing a secret connection Miranda has with the wind; and hidden secrets about Bourne Manors past with the famous sailor who died there. She also added 'life' by including important key characters that have a relationship with Miranda: Farley, a young boy she meets and who helps her reveal the secrets; Dr. Mead, the doctor that helps them later when Wysteria becomes ill; and "The Hounds", the four dogs that help protect and guard over Miranda when needed. I was very happy with how these characters played out, even with the dogs, in most stories they're just for an extra addition. Since its an average thing to have a pet dog, but they don't play a key part in the story. The hounds did, helping Miranda when she had to venture out of Bourne Manor, and helping her with her connection to the wind.
This story played out very nicely, with a generally happy ending (I will choose not to spoil, but she gets away from the story's main problem). I was just disappointed in the characters that were left behind in the end, I would've for sure changed the ending, I did in fact cry from that... although they were generally unfavored characters, its still sad to see anyone go. I for sure favored Farley as my favorite character. He was a very helpful character and made a spark in Miranda's life, which I appreciate. This was a lovely book and didn't get boring at any point, It may not have been action packed, but a story doesn't need that to have special flavor.
May 9, 2009
Miranda lives in an ancient house known as Bourne Manor with Wisteria, the old owner of the manor. Miranda has no memory of how she arrived at Bourne Manor aside from the fact that she was blown their by the wind. Now she lives with Wisteria, mending fishing nets, and rarely leaving the house. Wisteria keeps her secure inside the house so that she won't float away on the wind again.
Miranda starts to explore the mansion and discovers a hidden attic filled with kites. She starts to fly them from the glass tower at the top of the manor. It's not until she meets a boy named Farley that she truly begins to discover who she is and the dark history that Bourne Manor possesses.
This story was entertaining, but Murphy left many holes in the plot. I'm not exactly sure what Miranda is (I don't think she's human) or if Bourne Manor actually has a mind of its own. I don't know if I'd call this book a fantasy, but there are definitely fantastical elements. I'd like to know more about the history of the manor, but the reader only learned what Miranda did. Miranda's character was well developed, but a little dull. She wasn't very adventerous which made the story move slowly. Murphy let the book end a bit abrubtly which left me wanting more and unsure if she intended a sequel or not.
Miranda starts to explore the mansion and discovers a hidden attic filled with kites. She starts to fly them from the glass tower at the top of the manor. It's not until she meets a boy named Farley that she truly begins to discover who she is and the dark history that Bourne Manor possesses.
This story was entertaining, but Murphy left many holes in the plot. I'm not exactly sure what Miranda is (I don't think she's human) or if Bourne Manor actually has a mind of its own. I don't know if I'd call this book a fantasy, but there are definitely fantastical elements. I'd like to know more about the history of the manor, but the reader only learned what Miranda did. Miranda's character was well developed, but a little dull. She wasn't very adventerous which made the story move slowly. Murphy let the book end a bit abrubtly which left me wanting more and unsure if she intended a sequel or not.
April 3, 2009
There is something very appealing about this book -- partly it's Rita Murphy's writing style, partly it's the just slightly off-kilter characters and story (aptly depicted by the artist of the hardcover version). But at the same time, there's something definitely lacking here. There was no sense of accomplishment; no big "hurrah" for the young girl at the end, and that says to me that we didn't care for her enough.
I've been talking to my theatre class about 'dramatic conflict' and while I know the difference between a book and theatre, even a book needs to have some conflict (an obstacle). Here is where the focus gets a bit muddy. Is the obstacle in the girl's way the house itself? Wisteria (her guardian)? The legend of the missing fortune? Of herself? It's a little bit of all of them, which is why it isn't as clean as it could be.
The story of the missing fortune is not really necessary. It's a subplot that doesn't really go anywhere.
An interesting book that reached for more but didn't quite get there.
I've been talking to my theatre class about 'dramatic conflict' and while I know the difference between a book and theatre, even a book needs to have some conflict (an obstacle). Here is where the focus gets a bit muddy. Is the obstacle in the girl's way the house itself? Wisteria (her guardian)? The legend of the missing fortune? Of herself? It's a little bit of all of them, which is why it isn't as clean as it could be.
The story of the missing fortune is not really necessary. It's a subplot that doesn't really go anywhere.
An interesting book that reached for more but didn't quite get there.
October 12, 2016
This book is great, it's the first Rita Murphy i've read and i love it. Murphy is such a good writer, just the way she writes her style of writing is so entertaining. I like how she has all the characters kinda dark and almost like depressed, then there's Farley that lightness up the whole book. He is a great little spark for the down and dark book.
When i was reading the book i was a little confused you could say. Why did it take her so long to leave the house? Why does Wisteria (her guardian) care about her? Why did she take her in? Why won’t Wisteria let her leave? What is the point of having the fortune in the story?
One thing that i was looking forward to was the end. There was no like big "hurrah" for the girl at the end. There was nothing that will satisfy the reader, well if you are a person that doesn't really care for big relieving endings then i think you wouldn't like the ending. If you are the type of reader that likes subtle and calm ending then i like you would love the ending.
February 13, 2013
This is one of the novels that allowed me to forget the world of my own and live the story being read. I love every page and wish it never had to end.
It tells of a girl so light in weight and so young that she was carried by wind away from her home. A widow finds her, keeps her, gives her a new name, makes her wear heavy boots in order not to fly away, and teaches her to obey and take care of her!
The girl finds out many secrets in this manor which helps her find her passion and go for it.
A novel very exciting and worth the reading.
Photo in Flickr: http://flic.kr/p/dTPGvU
It tells of a girl so light in weight and so young that she was carried by wind away from her home. A widow finds her, keeps her, gives her a new name, makes her wear heavy boots in order not to fly away, and teaches her to obey and take care of her!
The girl finds out many secrets in this manor which helps her find her passion and go for it.
A novel very exciting and worth the reading.
Photo in Flickr: http://flic.kr/p/dTPGvU
March 24, 2009
I really liked this story of Miranda, who blew in on the wind one day and was found by the cold, widowed Wisteria of Manor Bourne. Wisteria literally creates boots that keep Miranda anchored to the ground, but it is Manor Bourne that seems to keep her spirit caged.
January 7, 2016
I liked this book because it was out of the ordinary not your typical book.
October 27, 2016
This was a delightful read; I truly enjoyed every second of it and actually wish there were a little more to the story. Even with that, I loved it and am so glad I read it.
February 14, 2019
This book is about a girl named Miranda that lives in a manor with A woman named Wysteria. Miranda spent most of her time indoors because she is to light weight to go outside because the wind could pick her up and blow her away. Miranda later met a boy named Farley and although she could not go outside, Farley and Miranda were still friends and they would talk to each other from the window. Then later on Miranda got boots that allowed her to walk outside without being picked up by the wind. Some good background information about the author is she was born on February 3, 1964 and wrote this book when she was 44 years old. She also wrote other books such as Harmony and Black Angles.
July 7, 2018
Middle School read
A young girl is blown by the wind and ends up at a manor house. She's taken in by Wysteria - an older lady who keeps her inside so she's not swept away. She secretly explores the house and discovers kites made by Wysteria's deceased husband. Together with a friend, she escapes from the home and flies away.
Many connections to make about believing in yourself and conquering fears about facing the unknown.
A young girl is blown by the wind and ends up at a manor house. She's taken in by Wysteria - an older lady who keeps her inside so she's not swept away. She secretly explores the house and discovers kites made by Wysteria's deceased husband. Together with a friend, she escapes from the home and flies away.
Many connections to make about believing in yourself and conquering fears about facing the unknown.
July 14, 2025
It’s a cute short read. I think if you’re looking for something easy that doesn’t take too much time, this it is. A great reset in your reading journey. I think it’s probably tailored to a younger audience, but cute nonetheless. It does leave some unanswered questions but does resolve to a happy ending.
May 6, 2019
Read this book as a kid and it instilled a wonder in me that one day I remembered the concept of the paper wings came to me as an adult and I then spent years trying to find this book because I couldn’t remember the title or author and I’m so happy I found it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2020
i’m a high school student who doesn’t like reading at all and simply picked this book due to the fact it’s skinny. That being said i thoroughly enjoyed it and i loved the mystery it left with me, so i can interpret parts of the plot how i want.
December 1, 2021
I first read this book seven or eight years ago, and it has been one of my favorite books ever since. Beautiful prose, charming but human characters, and an enigmatic and slightly spooky plot have me returning to this book again and again.
Amazing books like this are the reason I got into reading.
Amazing books like this are the reason I got into reading.
July 3, 2017
liked it better in high school. beautiful.
June 6, 2017
A really cute and simple shorter chapter book. Definitely has some fantasy and paranormal elements to it.
October 2, 2017
strange but readable
October 11, 2017
A journey of self discovery &understanding.
October 10, 2018
It was... okay. Not that great.
March 10, 2019
Interesting mystery/horror for younger readers. Maybe 5th grade? Moved quickly. You don’t get all the answers at the end.
January 24, 2020
Read this book in 5th grade and still as a Junior in High School I still remember this book.
January 31, 2020
Loved the story line but felt that the author left out a lot of details.
January 25, 2021
A good, quick read, but I feel like it didn't wrap up everything in the end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews