Fly Away Home: A Tender Story About a Father and Son Living in an Airport for Kids

by Eve Bunting, Ronald Himler (Illustrations)

A homeless boy who lives in an airport with his father, moving from terminal to terminal trying not to be noticed, is given hope when a trapped bird finally finds its freedom.

Genres: Picture Books, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Family, Fiction, Poverty, School

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Also known as Evelyn Bolton and A.E. Bunting.

Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.

Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.

In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.

Reviews

[Rebecca Hipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's difficult for me to give my reaction to this book, because I find the text and images so incredibly powerful. From the first opening, we get an honest view of a hard-working father and his son, striving to create a better life for themselves. The first statement abruptly introduces the reader to the boy's reality: "My dad and I live in an airport. That's because we don't have a home and the airport is better than the streets." As I read this book, I continued to appreciate Bunting's matter-of-fact way of presenting the story. I think that this forward way of discussing the subject of homelessness creates a piece that is well worth discussing. This is an important read because it shows the complexities of homelessness. The bird serves as a symbol of the hope that lives in the boy and his father, as they work everyday to escape the captivity associated with homelessness. The faded watercolor images were like windows into the world of the boy, his father, and their friends. They cause the reader to consider this perspective and rather than judge or feel pity, experience both the frustrations and hope the family experiences as they observe the comings and goings of others through the airport, as well as the small joys they discover as they create their sense of home in an airport. While the notion of home is the clear desire of the families, it is interesting how the reader, as an outsider, picks up on the feeling of home the families have created among each other.

[Malbadeen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tomorrow I'm going to do what I rarely do, which is to read a book to students for the sole purpose of teaching a lesson.

I was with a group of students today that spewed stereotypes about homeless people for a good 20 minutes. They naively asked questions and recalled experiences they've had in encountering homeless people without realizing that in our school, meaning their classmates, we currently have somewhere near 30 homeless students in attendance.

On the plus side, Eve Bunting is a great writer and we can enjoy the prose will being indoctrinated.

[Leane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: This books deals with the issue of homelessness. It is told through the eyes of a young boy named Andrew. Andrew is being raised by his father and they live together in an airport. Trying to remain unnoticed, Andrew tells the reader about his daily life and how it is both similar and different than that of a child with a home. He leaves us with the hope that someday he, like the trapped bird in the window, can flee his current living situation and return home.
Issues: The main issue of this book is homelessness but specifically a child who is homeless. Child readers are able to make connections between their lives and Andrew’s life because the book is told from a child’s point-of-view. Some of the differences that can be discussed are:
1. rules in a child’s house vs. the rules in an airport
2. children’s clothing vs. Andrew’s blue, inconspicuous clothing
3. friends vs. Andrew’s friends
4. daily routine (school, chores, etc.) vs. Andrew’s lack of routine or purpose
5. daily conversation/communication with others vs. Andrew’s lack of conversation with others
6. a child’s growth of identity and self-awareness vs. Andrew’s lack of identity
Towards the second half of the book, I started to notice some similarities between Andrew and a child reader. These would be a great addition to a discussion:
1. Andrew eats breakfast each morning
2. Andrew’s dad goes to work
3. Andrew has a babysitter
4. Andrew does odd jobs for change
5. Andrew has a friend named Denny
6. Andrew eats dinner every night
7. Andrew will go to school when he is old enough because it is important to get an education
I think that students may have a rough time relating to a child who is homeless and lives in an airport. Yet by discussing some of these similarities, we can bridge the gap between Andrew and the reader.
A final important theme is hope. Andrew watches a bird that is trapped in the airport and after several days escapes. Andrew feels that he is in a similar situation and longs for the day when he can be free of the airport and return to the kind of life he lived before his mother died. I find hope to be an important word as it is so commonly associated with the theme of peace and social justice. No matter what horrible situations we may find ourselves in, we can encourage ourselves and others to hope for the best and think positively and creatively. That is the only way that we can find solutions to our problems and improve our world.

[Colby Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite picture book of all time. I have never not cried while reading it. Today, my fourth graders were completly engrossed in this heartbreaking story of a boy, his dad, an airport, and hope.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful, and not overwhelmingly sad. Not for the littlest ones. A note about further reading would be nice; expect questions.

[L-Crystal Wlodek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fly Away Home is recommended for students in kindergarten through fourth grade. This book is about a homeless boy and his father who live at the airport. They move from terminal to terminal, sitting and sleeping in chairs, washing up in the bathroom, and eating in the food court, hoping not to get caught. They are given hope that they will be able to escape the airport to freedom and live in their own home when they see a trapped bird who finally finds its freedom.

This heartwarming and touching book takes a realistic look into the lives of the homeless. The author successfully presents a difficult subject in picture book format, as the text and illustrations work well together and complement one another. A small child narrates the facts of being homeless, sleeping, washing up in the bathroom, and avoiding being noticed. The simple text runs through all of the child’s emotions from a matter-of-fact acceptance to a fierce longing and anger that he does not have a home. However, he realizes it could be worse and he could be living on the street without a roof over his head. Soft watercolors are used and this helps show the impersonal spaces through which he and his father live. The author often places them at the back or edge of the pictures, implying their need to be unnoticed. This story is grim and serious, and a solution is not given, but there is a sense of hope. However, there is a definite strength, togetherness, love, and determination between father and son shown. The book focuses on giving the child's-eye view of homelessness in a unique way, making this a great and heartwarming book. This book can be used in the classroom when discussing job loss, the economy, strength, determination, and family.

[Katina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sad but good of happened story. "My dad and I live in an airport> That's because we don't have a home and the airport is better than the streets. We are careful not to get caught." The first page drew me in to read more. A young boy and his father spend their days living in airport. The boy shares tips on how not to get caught. "Don't get noticed." The sit separately not to get caught. The boy watches a bird that flies into the airport and is trapped inside. He compares his life to the bird and hopes one day like the bird he will be free and live outside of the airport. This is a beautiful illustrated book. Although it is a picture book I think it could be read by higher grades because of the context of the story. This is sad story but an important story discuss. There are many homeless families in schools. It is important to address situations like these to students. Students will have a better understanding of how some of their classmates feel.

[Sara Abdulkarim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fly Away Home was one of the most heart-breaking stories I have ever read. This story is from the point of view of a child who, along with his father, was homeless. They explain how they became homeless after the boy’s mother died, showing that they family was not able to live off on only one income. However, the child stayed positive in hoping one day that he will be able to be free. One day the child sees a bird that accidentally flew into the terminal. In the terminal, the bird's wing became weak, but the bird did not give up. After a while, the bird was able to escape and eventually fly, while singing. The boy saw the bird as a foreshadow of his possible future. The father would always encourage the boy to think positive and that one day they will get an apartment. The father did not keep everything away from the child and explain how he had to behave in order to survive in the airport terminal.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book deals with the important issue of homelessness. Instead of the streets, a boy and his father live in the airport where the number one rule is not getting noticed. They dress in all blue, sleep in different terminals each night, and be sure not to sit with other "regulars." During the day, Dad leaves the airport to work while the boy stays with another airport family. The boy does not go to school but Dad says next fall he will figure out a way so he can.
One day the boy followed a bird that was stuck in the airport. When it finally found an open door, the boy urged it to "fly away home." At the end of the story as the boy thinks he and dad will live in the airport forever, he thinks about the bird singing as he flew away to freedom.
The story illustrates the sadness of their situation and the hope for the future as both the boy and his father work and save to be able to have their own home.

[Lauren Castle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The picture book “Fly Away Home” written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Ronald Himler is a book that is clearly designed to introduce children to homelessness. When I first read it, I felt heartbroken for the young boy and his dad who are in a situation where they have to live in an airport. This book highlights the emotions one feels when they are in that situation, ranging from sadness to frustration to hope for a better future.

There wasn’t a dramatic plot line in this book, it followed the typical week in the life of the boy and his father and the other people who live at the airport. Bunting did an extremely good job highlighting the theme of struggling in life but still maintaining hope, which is a good message to send to kids. This book provides a window into the lives of people who have to face homelessness. The realism of the illustrations, especially of the character’s facial expressions, also helps to convey the book’s theme.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting book. I can't wait to use this to teach my students how to find the author's purpose. This book was so powerful and makes you think about issues you don't always see.

[L12_luisespinoza Espinoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My dad and I live in an airport. That's because we don't have a home and the airport is better than the streets." This is how this touching picture book opens up. It effectively presents the difficult subject of homelessness and does a wonderful job of doing it in a way that does not oversimplify the subject or imply hopelessness. The story is about a dad and his preschool-age son (although the book does not provide his age)who live in an airport. The story is told in narrative form from the boys perspective and shares his emotions of being homeless from feeling safe through a community of other homeless people living in the airport, to bitterness and anger from watching people arrive from their flights and greeting their loved ones with "It's so good to be home", to sadness thinking that the airport will be his permanent home as he states "I think Dad and I will be here forever". In addition, the illustrator provides pictures that complement the mood of the story through his use of soft watercolors and placement of characters in the pictures. During one part of the story, the boy notices a little brown bird trapped in the terminal that is trying to get out. The author does a really nice job of highlighting the parallel between the bird finally escaping the terminal when a sliding door opens and the boy's longing for the day when he and his dad can also leave the terminal. At the end of the book, the boy is seen looking out the window of the terminal contemplating about his circumstance and saying "Then I remember the bird. It took a while, but a door opened. And when the bird left, when it flew free, I know it was singing."

While this can be a difficult subject to tackle with students, the book does a really nice job of portraying homelessness in all it's aspects, including hope. This book is appropriate for students grades K-3rd and the DVD format is an excellent complement to the book. It is part of the Reading Rainbow series shown on PBS and expands the subject to include examples of children, young adults, and families that have experienced homelessness from different perspectives. Another book that would be a good complement to this subject for this same age group would be "Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen", by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan.

[Emma]

In life, something bad might happen to you and affect your whole entire life. Well, that's what happened in the book, Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting. The little 6 year old boy and his dad are homeless and they live in an airport, they lost all of their money. This kind of relates to the song Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood when she said, "this is my temporary home, it's not where I belong”. The boy and the dad are resourceful because the dad goes to work, the boy saves his money in his shoe, and they live in an airport.

One reason why the boy and dad are resourceful is because dad goes to work to get money. In the text it says,"Dad is a janitor for an office in the city. Sometimes when he comes home and has extra money, he’ll buy us dinner.’’ This proves this by showing that if he gets paid more than usual he will take them to a not so fancy diner in the airport. This shows that they are resourceful because he was using extra money to buy food.

One more reason why the boy and dad are resourceful is that the boy and his friend find luggage carts and return them for $l.00 or more. For example, “sometimes when people don’t tip Denny will say, "stingy!” This shows that the boy and the dad are resourceful because they use their money wisely so they will have enough to buy a home or do something else important.” For example, “we eat in the cafeterias and have breakfast there because it's not a lot of money.

One more reason that they are resourceful is that they live in an airport. For example, “my dad and I live in an airport. That's better than living on the streets. We are careful not to get caught.” This shows that the boy and the dad are resourceful because they they don't have anywhere to stay so they chose the airport.

As you can see the boy and the dad are resourceful because the boy was saving his money in his shoe. He did this because they are poor and he wanted to help out his dad. In the text, the author said, "Then I remembered the bird. It took a while but a door opened. When the bird left, flew free, I know it was singing.”


By: Emma Pickle

[Catherine Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Fly Away Home” is a realistic fiction picture book about a homeless boy and his father. The book tells about how they live in an airport, and basically just describes daily life for them: where they sleep and eat, what they wear and how they make money. Although the man has a job, he is clearly still not in a position to buy or rent a home, and the boy discusses his bitterness and sadness over the fact that they have nowhere to live. The story ends on a positive and hopeful note though, as the boy recalls a bird that was trapped inside the terminal and found a way out through the automatic doors. While the ending is not an unrealistic one of “they found a house and everyone lived happily ever after” it does provide that hope that eventually things will take a turn for the better and the boy will have his own home.

The illustrations by Ronald Himler are realistic watercolors that show the details of the boy’s life very well. They add to the story by giving it an element of realism. Students can see these pictures and realize that people like Andrew and his father are real and that homelessness is a problem.

I think this book would be great in discussing diversity. Andrew and his father are different from most people because they live in an airport, but they are also similar to us in many ways. I think after reading this story, students would understand that homeless people aren’t “weird” or “gross”, they are just like us but don’t have a place to call home the way we do. This book could really open doors for some great classroom discussion with students. I would use this book with 3rd-5th grade students.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eve Bunting has an amazing way of discussing life's many experiences and tragedies in sensitive and "kid-friendly" words. Eve Bunting honestly depicts real-life problems, such as homelessness in "Fly Away Home". I decided to read this book because I am familiar with her book "The Wall" in which she tells about the tragedies of war and the lingering loss that occurs after a war is over. One of the best aspects of this story and "The Wall," is how Bunting narrates the story from the perspective of a young child. Instead of simply telling children that these struggles and tragedies are meant to be sad and taken seriously, she expresses the actual emotions and perceptions a young child would have if in this situation. I'd really like to read this book to my students to see and hear their reactions. They always have a very strong reaction to "The Wall," however, that topic is somewhat removed from their own lives. Homelessness, however, is something many of my students currently deal with or have dealt with in the past. Although this book makes you feel sad and hopeless, I do like how real and relatable her story is to social issues and how the simple language makes it easy for students to understand and sympathize with what's going on.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books depicts the stark reality of life for a homeless father and son living at the airport. The story offers a glimpse of hope and shows what lengths the father goes to in order to keep his son safe and with him. Our girls were shocked to learn that people could live this way and it really made us appreciate our home and the lives we lead.

The watercolor illustrations help to convey the anonymity of the father and son in their attempts to merely blend in with the crowd and not be noticed. And I loved that the boy's father insisted that he start school no matter where they lived, although it was a bit sad that the older boy, Denny, was not attending school.

Overall, it's a sad, but somewhat hopeful tale that really helps us learn about lives that are very different from our own. We really enjoyed reading this book together (and our oldest said that she'd read it at least four times in school already.)

interesting quote:

"It took a while, but a door opened. And when the bird left, when it flew free, I know it was singing." (p.32)

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read this picture book for quite some time, but have only just now gotten to it. Wow! Just like all of Eve Bunting's books, this one really grabbed me by the heartstrings. A little boy and his father are homeless and live at the airport. They spend much of their time moving around and trying not to be noticed. The boy relates to a bird that is trapped inside, until it finds a way to fly outside. The story is written from the boy's point of view, and it's very tough to think about children in these circumstances. But sadly, this is the reality for many kids. This book could be a great conversation starter, and an awesome book to help talk about point-of-view. It would be interesting to consider how the story would be different if it were written from the father's point-of-view. Even though this book was written about families living in the airport before the terrorist attacks of 9-11-01 occurred, I think kids will be able to understand and relate to this story.

[Olivia Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fly away Home is in the eyes of a homeless child living in an airport with his father. This is such a sad and powerful book. As the story goes through the little boy talks about ways not to get caught and other families that are there. The start of the book grabbed my attention as it bluntly states the reality of this boy and his fathers life living in an airport because it’s better than being on the streets. In the book there is bird which is a parallel how the boy feels. The bird being able to escape allows there to be hope to the little boy that one day he too will be able to escape this world of living in an airport.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:
The author shares about a boy and his father who live in an airport. The author discusses the importance of going unnoticed so that they will not be caught. The boy is angry and sad because he and his father do not have a house to go home to. Yet the boy is hopeful that he will be like that trapped bird who one day will fly away home.

Thoughts:
I am glad the boy was optimistic about his future and still had hope that he would be one day free.

[Kiera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fly Away Home is a story about this family who lives in an airport because they are homeless.The dad works on the bus and the young boy stays in the airport while his father goes work. A bird finds his way into the airport and gets lost. He eventually finds an open door and flies away. The little boy gets hopes that one day he will find his way out like the bird did. This is a good book to read to children so they can understand hardship.

[J L's Bibliomania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fly Away Home, by Even Bunting, is a well regarded picture book concerning a homeless boy and his father who live in an airport. I love how it portrays a family that is trying to work their way out of a spot of bad luck rather than the sterotype of all homeless people being shiftless and not trying to change their circumstances.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an essential children's book for a class conversation about poverty and homelessness. It encounters the topic in a way that is extremely relatable and appropriate for young children, and could easily springboard to further research, service projects, or civics problem-solving.

[Orlando · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked this story. it was a good story. Its about a kid and his dad live in an airport.And every day they change gates for they wont get caught living in the airport.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching story about a homeless family. Good book to use in the classroom to help students understand other people's problems.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eve Bunting. Enough said.

[Yousef F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fly Away Home
By:Yousef Farahat

The text “Fly Away Home,” teaches me that sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it. It shows this at the beginning of the story, in the middle of the story, and at the end of the story.


The text “Fly Away Home,” teaches me that sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it. This is true at the beginning of the story. For example, at the beginning of the story, they mentioned that they didn’t have a home. This part is important because they have been trying their whole life since their mother died trying to find a home but they can’t because her father doesn’t really have a job. The boy even asked, “Will we ever have our own apartment again?” but the father responded yes, but wasn’t sure because he only has one job and he works as a janitor in an office. Eve Bunting uses dialog to show how the mood changes. Andrew’s Dad tries to find for themselves places, but he couldn’t he was trying really hard. When he comes back home, he looks angry. “I’m saving money, too.” “Atta Boy!” So the mood changes from sad and angry to happy and inspired.

The text “Fly Away Home,” teaches me that sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it. This true in the middle of the story. For example,it shows this is in the middle of the story because when the boy saw the bird and her wing was injured, the boy (Andrew) answered “Fly Bird, Fly away home,” This is part is important because the bird inspired the boy when you get down, you always have to try to get back up again. He also said that “Don’t stop trying!Don’t! You can get out!” Andrew helps the bird more than he helps himself. He finally realizes that he is inspiring himself. He said that “I remember the bird, it took me a while, but a door opened. And when the bird left when it flew free, I know it was singing,”


The text “Fly Away Home,” teaches me that sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it. Most of all this is true because it shows this at the end of the story. For example, at the end of the story, when he said: “Sometimes I watch people meeting people.” Then he continues, “We missed you, it is good to be home.” Sometimes I get mad and I want to run at them and push them and shout, “Why do you have homes when we don’t?! What makes you so special?” This part is important because he realizes that life is sometimes hard and not fair. This also shows that he misses his mom because if their mom was here, they would’ve had a home already.

So now just like I told you in the beginning “sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it.” it shows this in the beginning, middle and at the end of the story. And just like Japanese Proverb says “Fall seven times and stand up eight,”

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A five-year-old boy and his father live in an airport because they are homeless. They wear blue clothes to fit into the crowds, and they avoid sitting with other homeless friends living at the airport so they won't be noticed by the authorities. The father works as a janitor on the weekends, mentions that he is looking for more work, and calls about apartments, though he is not successful in finding one they can afford. The boy carries heavy bags for passengers, in the hope of getting a tip, and saves his money in his shoe. So he doesn't attract attention, the boy holds in his anger over not having a home like other people do. When a bird gets trapped inside the airport, the boy coaxes the bird to keep trying, to "Fly away home." The bird, which represents the boy's hope for himself and his father, "took a while, but a door opened." This picture book is beautifully written and represents a realistic rendering of homelessness. Since this will be a window (rather than a mirror) book for most children, they will gain an awareness that "regular" people can become homeless and it's not always possible to tell a person's circumstance from their outward appearance.

[Julie]

Bunting, Eve. Fly Away Home. Clarion Books, NY, 1991.
I read this picture book to a first grade classroom and I did not pre-read the book before my Read Aloud time. In my memory, the title Fly Away Home reminded me of the film starring Jeff Daniels and Anna Paquin. Well, that film and this book are not related in anyway.
In this story, we learn about a homeless father and son that live in an airport terminal. The story is set during a time before September 11, 2001 because people are able to freely enter and leave the airport at any time. The story is told from the perspective of the homeless boy and how he and his father manage to live at an airport and avoid being noticed by the police. One of the most powerful moments come toward the end of the book when the boy expresses his anger and frustration over their homelessness when he says, “I want to run at them and push them and shout, “Why do you have homes when we don’t? What makes you so special?” That would get us noticed, all right.”
I would recommend this book to elementary school teachers and their students in order to start a conversation about homelessness. Many young students notice the homeless camps in Los Angeles and I think this book gives them an opportunity to see how it affects families and children.

[Ava Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fly Away Home is one of my all time favorite books, it addresses a social issue that is not commonly discussed in picture books. Fly Away Home is a story about a young boy and his father who are homeless and live in various airport terminals. While his father goes out to work, the young boy stays with another family living in the airport and collects change by doing various odd jobs for airport goers. The story is told through the perspective of the young boy which adds a lot of emotion to the text.

In my classroom, this would be a great book to bring in the social issue of homelessness. Many of my student see individuals who are homeless often and it is important that we discuss the issue in the classroom. Similar to issues of race and gender, issues of class are necessary to help students form their perspective on society. Fly Away Home offers students a relatable story as the character is young and allows them to experience a day in his life of not having a home.

[Lacee Mundahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This realistic fiction book is about a dad and his son who become homeless and live at the airport. To avoid living on the streets, they try not to be noticed as they move throughout the airport. To look like nobody at all, they dress in clean clothes, sit up to sleep, not make much noise, and try not to talk or sit next to people. In hopes of their own place, the dad saves money by working as a janitor and the boy collects luggage carts on the weekends. One day, a bird comes into the airport and the bird has difficulties finding a way out of the airport. The bird eventually finds his way out and the boy was so happy for the bird. He knew the bird was singing as he flew home. In the end, the boy hopes that one day he will be like the bird and get a chance to fly away home and be happy.

I would use this book for any grade level as the author does an exceptional job of allowing the reader into the life of a homeless family. This book would also be great to discuss poverty and inequality.