Bird (MG)

Bird by Angela Johnson. 2004. Penguin. 144 pages.

It rained more than I ever saw it rain last night.

Bird has run away from home. She's gone to Acorn, Alabama, to search for her stepfather. She's hoping that he'll come back home with her. That she can get her family back, the way she wants her family to be. But Cecil, the man she's known as father for most of her life, did leave them. She doesn't know why. She's come looking for answers.

When we first meet Bird she is living in a shed. She hopes to go unnoticed. But that's not the case. Not for long. Ethan, one of the boys living in the farmhouse, befriends her. As does Jay, a boy grieving the loss of his brother, Derek. And then there's Mrs. Pritchard.

Lives are going to change, and hearts are going to start healing. Not that anything in life is ever so easy. But it's a start, right? This is a beautiful novel about brokenness, loneliness, heartache, hope, love, and family.

I thought the writing was beautiful. Here are a few of my favorite lines:

The moon woke me up a minute ago.
It always does. Doesn't have to make a noise or have to spill anything down from the sky. Just shine in my window and dance shadows off my walls. (16)

There's one thing about the people in Alabama that I've never seen before in anybody else. They'll feed you if they think you're hungry, guess you're hungry, or if you aren't hungry but they are. (67)

I definitely recommend this one!

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews