Birdie

by Eileen Spinelli

A novel-in-verse about loss… and what happens afterwards

Twelve-year-old Birdie Briggs loves birds. They bring her comfort when she thinks about her dad, a firefighter who was killed in the line of duty. Life without her dad isn’t easy, but at least Birdie still has Mom and Maymee, and her friends Nina and Martin.

But then Maymee gets a boyfriend, Nina and Martin start dating, and Birdie’s mom starts seeing a police officer. And suddenly not even her beloved birds can lift Birdie’s spirits. Her world is changing, and Birdie wishes things would go back to how they were before. But maybe change, painful as it is, can be beautiful too.

Genres: Middle Grade, Poetry, Realistic Fiction, Novel In Verse, Childrens, Grief, Friendship

208 pages, Hardcover

First published April 9, 2019

About the author

Eileen Spinelli is an award-winning children's book author from southeastern Pennsylvania. She has written over 100 picture books and novels for children. Her husband is Jerry Spinelli, who also writes books for children.

Reviews

[顏 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I happened to be sitting in the Junior section of the library when this book cover caught my eyes. Noticing that it was written in verses (I'm a huge fan), I decided to read it. Ended up reading the entire book in one seating, feeling so satisfied with the ending. It's about family, friendship, love, and moving on. This book wasn't written just for kids.

[Marisa Bleininger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot! It is a J-fiction, so it was a quick read, but long enough of a book that you get enough detail- especially with the formatting! It's a really cute story about a 12 year old girl and her friends, but also goes deeper when Birdie reminisces on her late father and her feelings on her mom's new relationship.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: I pick the hairs from my brush. I put them in my pocket. I will drop them on the grass on my way to Mrs. Bloom's. I do this every Saturday.



Premise/plot: Birdie Briggs is mourning her father (who was a fireman), crushing on her friend, Martin, and wishing--in vain--that life wouldn't be so quick to go on. Why does her Mom need a boyfriend?! Her Grandma also has a new boyfriend in this one. BUT. Birdie welcomes that relationship and the joy it brings Maymee. Life is full of complications.



My thoughts: Birdie Briggs is a bird-loving, Scrabble player. I like her. I do. The book is a quick, often sweet read. If I have a complaint it is that this one is a verse novel that doesn't really need to be a verse novel. Does that make sense? There is nothing lyrical or poem-like about these "verses." The poetic form adds nothing to the story. The book is prose trying to play dress up and be something its not: poetry.

Visitor

There are actually
two visitors:
Officer Downey and
Mr. Gray's cat, Olive.
Maymee gives a squeak
of surprise.
Officer Downey
explains.

There are legitimate verse novels. Where the verse is actually verse--where the words, the phrases, the sentences are lyrical.



But the story is a good one. I liked it.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Birdie by Eileen Spinelli, 197 pages. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2019. $16. 9780802855138.


Content: Language: G (0 "swears); Mature content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Birdie Briggs is 12 years old and life is starting to change on her again. She and her mom moved to Hadley Park to live with her grandma Maymee after her dad passed away, but even things in her new home aren't stable. Maymee is starting to fall in love, her mom might be dating a local police officer, and two of her best friends seem to be pursuing a relationship that does not include Birdie. Its all frustrating and confusing, but Birdie might just learn that change can work for the best, too.

This is a great little coming-of-age novel written in free-verse not so much for the beauty of free verse but for the ability to write in short choppy chunks. That's a criticism but it also works for this book. I really enjoyed Birdie's journey--it felt very realistic--and it was only after I finished that I looked back and noticed the YA tropes we all love--single parent, a cat, etc. Its not a perfect or earth-shattering novel, but it was really nice and I'd definitely recommend it.

Reviewer: TC
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roberta "Birdie" Briggs is twelve years old and lives with her mother and grandmother in a small town. She is an avid birder and loves playing Scrabble with her friend Martin. Her firefighter father died in the line of duty a couple of years ago and Birdie still misses him. Then her spunky great-grandmother, Maymee, and mother both start dating new men and her friend Martin starts dating her other friend Nina. Birdie is not ready for this much change at once and she reacts poorly, ignoring her friends and family and sulking. Eventually, however, she is won over by her mother's new boyfriend, Fred, and she finds she can make room for more people in her life.

Spinelli's verse is deceptively simple, but evocative. Birdie is dealing with lots of emotions and the bulk of this book is spent in her head, examining her worries and fears. The small town and its characters are charming; Maymee is especially hilarious and the library in the neighbor's pantry (because the nearest public library is three towns away) is a funny touch. Overall, this is a solid novel. Grades 3-6

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful novel in verse about what happens after you lose someone and the struggle it can be to realize that it's time to move on. Birdie's father died a heroic death as a firefighter, but he still died. And now she lives with her mom and Maymee, and she only has a few friends. But she has her birds, and her birding, which is more than enough. But now Maymee has a boyfriend, Mom keeps working late, and her friends are dating. Everything is changing and Birdie doesn't like it. But she begins to realize that no matter what is happening, life has a way of going on, even when you don't want it to.

This was one of the rare verse novels where the sparseness of the writing enhanced the feelings of the story. Birdie is struggling with her grief and sometimes doesn't know how to say it, and this is echoed in the limited use of words on the page. Great middle grade novel. Recommended for grades 4-6.

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birdie Briggs loves birds. She loves their songs, their migration paths and everything there is to know about all things ornithological. She is also dealing with moving in with her grandmother in a small Pennsylvania town after her father has died.

Birdie is dealing with lots of changes in her life including a grandmother that begins dating and a mother that would like to do the same. Birdie has feelings for her best friend, Martin, but isn't sure how to convey those feelings and so sits and watches as her friend Nina starts to date Martin.

This book is written in verse and moves quickly, but dives deep into Birdie's emotions. I'm glad I picked it up.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve year old Birdie has a lot of questions about love. She is surprised when her grandmother finds a boyfriend, then shocked when she discovers her widowed mother is moving on from the loss of her father and is dating someone too. Meanwhile Birdie is forced to face her feelings for Martin, her long time best friend, when the new girl on the street starts spending lots of time with him. I didn't love the verse, as Birdie's voice seemed really choppy and unnatural. Luckily she was such a sweet, endearing character that she kept me reading.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book,
Written in narrative verse,
About a young girl's
Friends and family,
Was like eating a cool tangerine
On a hot summer day.
It was quick,
Sweet, tangy,
And a little juicy.
I feel refreshed
After surviving the slog and lethargy
Through longer, more "meaningful" reads.
I will happily seek
And will undoubtedly enjoy,
Additional books by Eileen Spinelli.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle middle grade novel-in-verse about Birdie Briggs—her real name is Roberta but she’s going to officially have it changed when she turns 18—and her life in small town Hadley Falls, playing Scrabble almost every Saturday with Martin, spending time with her mom and grandma, Maymee, and missing her Dad. I’m not sure why I love books about being eleven and twelve so much. Maybe it’s that feeling of letting go of something good for something that you hope will be even better, but that “even better” isn’t ever quite what you imagine it will be.

[Michelle Nero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love verse novels. Short and sweet but packed with so much story! It ebbs and flows with emotions. It was until page 193 that my tears flowed! It grabbed my heart and squeezed. Love this story about loss ... and true gains in life because life goes on.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly sweet book. Simple and meaningful.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novel in verse. Lovely.

(Students may need a character map to support understanding of all the names at the beginning.)

[Jessica Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one!

I'm pretty sure it's the first book I've read that is in verse, and I'm definitely sure it won't be my last!!

[Maeve Littooij · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, but wish it was longer.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet realistic fiction about family, friends, and significant others. This was a quick read and each chapter is a short poem.

[Jesse Figuera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Recommended to me by my nine year old. Read in one sitting.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this novel in verse about a girl who is coming to terms with loss and starting to figure out her new feelings for the boy who has been her friend since she moved to this town. I love the spunky grandma too! Three generations of women in one house is always a treat.

[Terrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly sweet story about 12 year-old Birdie Briggs, who loves birds, birding watching, and bird facts. Birdie has just moved to Idaho with her mother, to live with her Grandma, after the death of her father. It’s about 1st love, 2nd love, friendship, grief, and healing. Lovely characters who’s actions and reactions are authentic and make you feel all the feels. Told in beautiful prose. And why am I just now learning that Eileen Spinelli is married to Jerry Spinelli? Cawww!

[Karis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick middle grade read, beautifully written. I’m always a little intimidated by novels written in verse, but this was so lovely.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel in verse. it was funny and emotional.

[Linda Shepherd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written book about a twelve-year-old still grieving for her father and dealing with changes in relationships with her friends and family.

[Annina Luck Wildermuth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet book, kind of old-fashioned feeling and it hit the right spots for me. The amazing cover art added so much for me as well. So for the feeling and the characters, I give it the four stars. But, I don't understand why it is written in the format it is...so-called free verse--to me this felt more like vignettes but of prose. I don't know but I think it would have been even stronger as a novel. Also, when I wrote old-fashioned, I think what I wanted to say is that the main character, Birdie, feels like a 9 year old or 10 year old to me and not a 12 year old.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet book. It's a novel in verse (love them!) about a young girl learning to cope with her dad's death, a new home, and new friends. A must for schools!

[Dee Dee G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the writing format of this book. Flowed well and even though it was a short book it had a lot of subject matter about life, friendship, hurt, loss and eventually happiness.

[Emily Costella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was absolutely precious. It tells the story of Roberta Briggs, who goes by the nickname Birdie. She is twelve years old and has gone through a lot in the past three years in her life. She lost her father in the line of duty as a firefighter, and moved in with her grandmother across the country. Just as she believes everything is back to normal, more changes start to occur. Her grandmother begins to date a man named Harlan Gray, and her mother begins to date Fred Downey. If that wasn't enough, Birdie's best friend Martin begins to date Nina, another one of her best friends. Birdie starts to feel left out and alone in Hadley Falls without her father. She misses the way things once were. However, when Birdie comes to realize that life comes with changes, everything turns around for her. She welcomes Fred Downey into her life after an afternoon with him at her father's grave, and she meets a new boy named Albert. By the end of the book, Birdie enjoys her life with her mother and Fred and embraces all of the changes that have happened to her.
I really enjoyed this story. Although written in verse, it was a very easy story to follow. The headings of each section always gave an accurate preview of what I would be reading about next. I think the language used in this book was also impactful and it was very easy to understand just what Birdie was thinking. I think this book would be awesome for fifth graders. I think the way it talks about life changes and embracing them is a lesson that everyone in fifth grade could use. The transition to middle school is hard for some, and this book can show the positives that can come out of that change.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very seldom that I give a book 5 stars but I think this one deserved it. Birdie is a gentle read and a pitch perfect middle grade novel. Incoming seventh grader Birdie loves birds and plans to change her legal name (Roberta) to Birdie as soon as she can. She has a few friends from school but spends the most time with Martin. She looks forward to their weekly Scrabble games and pretty soon realizes that she would like to be more than just friends with Martin. While sorting out her feelings about him she continues to mourn her firefighter father's death and is not keen on the idea of her mother dating again. Her grandmother, who Birdie & her mother live with, has also taken an interest in a dapper, visiting gentleman.

I think Spinelli captures the innocent middle school experience perfectly. Birdie finds herself hanging out randomly with other people her age, enjoys her hobbies, and doesn't mind exploring others'. The conclusion of the novel-in-verse is satisfying and realistic. I know that some may feel like the book skews young but I know sixth graders and some seventh graders who could relate to Birdie and her first crush experience. I've already committed the first of my funds for the school year but this will be in my next book order for sure.

Sex? No, plenty of crushes and talk of feelings though (all appropriate)

Swearing/Profanity? Not that I remember

Violence? No

Magic? No

LGBTQ + characters? Not specified

Could a conservative Christian school library include it?

Absolutely.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Birdie, so named for her love of birds, grows accustomed to the presence of men in her home when her grandmother begins to date Mr. Gray and, more upsetting to Birdie out of loyalty to her father who died in a fire, her mom begins dating Officer Downey. Furthering her frustration, her first love interest, Martin, becomes romantically interested in her close friend, Nina, leaving her feeling jilted and missing games of scrabble she played with Martin. Birdie must make adjustments and accept new people into her life, recognizing that she will always miss and love her father, but accepting Officer Downing, as your mother's new companion, does not diminish her loyalty to her father. Meanwhile, as most 12 year olds soon discovered, budding romances die quickly (Nina and Martin) and she renews her friendship with Martin while welcoming new to town Albert into the friendship of Nina and Martin. A multigenerational look at beginning, romantic relationships across three generations told in sparse language.

The only issue I take with this book is that the language does not match what this reviewer considers "poetic" for a novel in verse. It's simply a very short chapter book that, instead of being called a novel in verse, for expanded length, would be better served with simply line and ink drawings and called a beginning chapter book. The language is simple but not poetic.

[Emily Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book on display at the Education Library. I chose this one because the title and cover illustrations were intriguing. Birdie by Eileen Spinelli is about a young teenage girl named Roberta Briggs who goes by Birdie. She has a large interest in birds, keeping a bird chart of the types of birds she sees daily. The novel summarizes things teenagers go through, such as friendship, breakups, drama, and loss. She just moved to a new town in the beginning. Her father, a firefighter, passed away, so this is a common theme. Birdie learns to cope with grief while also welcoming her mother's new boyfriend/fiance. The book perfectly summarizes what it's like to be a young girl and to see that from a different perspective. It has cliffhangers that make you want to keep turning the page; I read most of this book in one setting! Because this book brings up dark subjects like death, I would recommend this book for 4th-8th grade students. I don't think that I would use this book for a full-class reading because it seems geared towards female students rather than males, but it is one I would keep in my classroom library. I highly recommend this easy read!

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Roberta Briggs, aka Birdie, loves birds. And she's such a likeable character. So are the cast of Mom, Maymee (Grandma), and best friends, Nina and Martin. But when dynamics and relationships morph, Birdie longs for what used to be before her father, a firefighter died in the line of duty. Spinelli weaves a heartwarming story of early adolescence and all the changes that can turn one's life upside down, inside out, and everything in between.

This is one of my favorite verses:
changed

Mayme is a
changed woman.
She used to
say cats are "sneaky creatures,"
but now she shops for Mr. Gray's cat Olive:
toy mice, scratching post, cat treats.
She hasn't spoken about
funerals,
coffins,
or cemeteries
for days.
She still uses
her canes,
but there's a
definite bounce
to her walk now.
I ask Mom if
she has noticed.
"Yes," says Mom.
"It's odd," I say.
Mom tweaks my cheek.
"It's love." p.57