Bird
Published on 2. July 2015
Book
Paperback/Softback
416 pages
978-1-84853-125-3 (ISBN)
Description
'Grandpa stopped speaking the day he killed my brother, John. His name was John until Grandpa said he looked more like a Bird with the way he kept jumping off things, and the name stuck. Bird's thick, black hair poked out in every direction, just like the head feathers of the blackbirds, Grandpa said, and he bet that one day Bird would fly like one too. Grandpa kept talking like that, and no one paid him much notice until Bird jumped off a cliff, the cliff at the edge of the tallgrass prairie, the cliff that dropped a good couple hundred feet to a dried-up riverbed below. From that day on, Grandpa never spoke another word. Not one.
The day that Bird tried to fly, the grown-ups were out looking for him - all of them except Mom and Granny. That's because that very day, I was born.'
Twelve-year-old Jewel never knew her brother, but all her life she has lived in his shadow. Then one night, on her birthday, she finds a mysterious boy sitting in her oak tree. His name is John. And he changes everything.
The day that Bird tried to fly, the grown-ups were out looking for him - all of them except Mom and Granny. That's because that very day, I was born.'
Twelve-year-old Jewel never knew her brother, but all her life she has lived in his shadow. Then one night, on her birthday, she finds a mysterious boy sitting in her oak tree. His name is John. And he changes everything.
Reviews / Votes
The extraordinary debut novel by Crystal Chan juggles a possible suicide, a mute and terrifying grandfather, astronomy, geology, betrayal and love with elegance and guts . . . The best thing about Bird isn't just its cultural uniqueness - not many kids' novels are about duppies, or Jamaican evil spirits - but how this excellent book feels like it actually happened. * Guardian * Crystal Chan's debut is a heartbreaker, a children's book with the potential to move readers of any age. Anyone who has ever felt like a cuckoo in the nest will be grateful for this assured, unsentimental novel. * Metro * Simultaneously sad and lovely, this is one of the best middle grade books we have read in a long time. * The Bookbag * In a thoughtful debut, Chan weaves together topics of race, repressed emotion, and destructive family dynamics, setting events against the beauty of the Midwestern landscape. Jewel's gentle voice offers moments of insight and wisdom as she becomes empowered to move beyond her parents' losses and desires. * Publishers Weekly * Beautifully written literary debut novel about families and secrets, with a hint of magic. * Bookseller * An emotional story, beautifully told in the first person * Parents in Touch * Jewel is a multilayered, emotional character who struggles to come to terms with her family's issues. The mixture of superstition and science creates a wonderful juxtaposition in this powerful story about loss and moving on. * School Library Journal * Wonderfully steeped in her culture, Jewel's story is as rich as the scenery around her . . . A surprising story about superstition, loss and family that impresses and enchants. * Booktrust * Bird is one of those books that just needs to be read. It's a beautifully written account of an endless struggle, as well as that of a much-needed friendship . . . This book is, at times, incredibly sad, but it leaves in its wake a great big smile and a pocketful of hope. * wondrousreads.com * A bird flies, a grandpa stops speaking; secrets and spirits weave through a wondrous story. An exciting debut novel. * Jamila Gavin *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Random House Children's UK
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 9 to 11 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 154 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
293 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84853-125-3 (9781848531253)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Crystal Chan grew up as a mixed-race kid in the middle of the Wisconsin cornfields and has been trying to find her place in the world ever since. She has published articles in several magazines, given talks and workshops across the country, facilitated discussion groups at national conferences, and been a professional storyteller for children and adults alike. In Chicago, where Crystal now lives, you will find her biking along the city streets and talking to her pet turtle. Bird is her first novel.