I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Random House Children's in exchange for an honest review.

Our main character is thirteen year old Nina, a quirky girl who often feels like an awkward outsider amongst her family and at school. She is into birding and doesn't always know how to interact with other kids despite her best efforts. Nina goes to spend the summer at her aunt's camp and discovers two whooping cranes have built a next in the marsh near an old, unused part of the camp. Nina is stunned because everything she's read tells her that whooping cranes haven't lived or nested in that part of Texas in over 100 years.

Nina tells her new friends, a trio of girls who've nicknamed themselves the Oddballs, and the four girls report the finding to wildlife officials, but not to anyone else at camp. Throughout the rest of the book, the group of girls monitors the cranes and their nest, reporting their findings as they go. The female crane is a mystery, even to wildlife officials, because she has no tracker or tags to indicate who she is. Everything comes to a head as the girls wait for the egg to hatch and Aunt Audrey finds out what they've been hiding.

This is a quick, easy read that kids will enjoy. The Oddballs are the perfect group of friends for Nina because they don't mind calling her out when she's being too much.

Initially, I thought the parts about Iris were out of place in the story, but they made more sense once Iris had a bigger role in the story.

I wanted to read this in part because I was a big fan of Song for a Whale. I can't say I liked this book as much but I still greatly enjoyed it. In particular, Nina's struggle to make friends felt very realistic as did the way she became friends with the Oddballs. I liked the connection to Iris and how that storyline was able to resolved.

I instantly fell for oddball Nina, being an oddball myself. I love that she found her “flock” at her aunt’s summer camp, and following along as she and her friends observed the whooping cranes was a thrill. I like how author Lynne Kelly kept things real, though. The story really didn’t need “magical realism,” because Nina’s experience—both with finding the birds and finding herself—was already magical. The deaf representation (I assume this is the same character from Song for a Whale?) is authentic and I love that Nina learns from the mistakes from her past and how to be a true ally in real time. A lovely middle grade read.

4.5 stars

I've never read anything by Kelly in the past, but that will certainly change for in the future! And as a birdwatcher myself, I loved that angle!


This is a wonderful coming-of-age story with relatable characters. The cover is beautiful and helps draw the reader in to this heartwarming story of friendship and finding yourself when you feel like you're an "oddball." The summer camp angle will resonate with many readers. There's a bit of mystery involved with discovering just who and what the bird was, and I love how the author educates, as well as entertains, with this story.

I loved Song for a Whale and was excited to learn that The Secret Language of Birds is actually a sequel. Following a minor character in the first book, this one also delves into a love of nature through whooping cranes.

The summer camp setting and the awkwardness of Nina was so believable, it transported me back to the hellish existence of being a preteen. I have already ordered a copy for my school library and I recommend that everyone in that age group or working with that age group reads this.

Thanks to Net Galley, Delacourte Press, and Random House Children's for the eARC!

I loved Lynne Kelly’s debut “Song for a Whale” and loved her new book as well. Having Iris cameo in this one was so fun!

Kelly’s writing is easy, flowing, and full of empathy. From the first chapter, my heart was with Nina and I related to her struggles of feeling unseen. As a middle child and kind of socially awkward, I understood her desire to belong but also the ability to be by yourself. Her ‘Oddball’ gang accepted each other’s quirks and they were wonderful friends.

The summer camp setting was really fun and I loved every moment of the camp experiences. I actually would’ve loved a bit more of the girls’ interactions during camp and more than just their experiences with the cranes. The one scene of the girls talking about animal and human nipples and boobs felt a bit weird for a Middle Grade, but I guess girls do talk about that too haha. I also appreciated Aunty Audrey and her choosing a life outside of the expected norm but that matched her personality and values.

I’m not really a bird person, but this story made me appreciate the diversity and nuances of birds! Now I know a lot about whooping cranes! Overall, a sweet story about a girl finding her people and highlighting some birds!

A young girl who struggles to fit in anywhere finds passion in bird watching and tries to help a pair of endangered birds she stumbles upon. Reminded me of HOOT and many of Hiaasen’s books in helping animals. Kelly has a great way with words and she knows how to keep the complexities of relationships and emotions at the forefront of her characters motivations. It’s lovely to read a book showing young girls interest in Nature and Sciences.

We get a glimpse at her previous book’s character, Iris, but not in a way which is reliant on having read SONG FOR A WHALE (though if you have - you will enjoy the involvement and added pieces of the story Nina shares)

I adore Kelly’s writing. This was the first book I was actively looking forward to this year and I tore through it. Highly recommend for all ages.

Nina feels out of place in the world. She has a fascination with birds that no one seems to share, and she can't seem to make any friends. All of this changes when she helps out at her aunt's summer camp. There she and a small group of oddball girls discover a pair of endangered birds about to lay eggs- something they haven't done in the area for 100 years. Nina and her new friends make it their mission to keep the birds a secret and make sure the eggs hatch.

I was drawn to this book because, like Nina, I was obsessed with animals as 13-year-old. And, like Nina, I too would spout out random facts and be met with reactions similar to Nina's peers. Being 13 is not easy, navigating social norms- and whether or not you want to follow them- is not easy. This book does a good job exploring that. I was so happy when Nina found the Oddballs - a group where she can be herself.

I also liked that we see how Nina has grown from Song for a Whale - Lynne Kelly's other book. Nina comes off as insensitive in that book, and this book acknowledges that while also explaining her actions and thoughts. This book expands on Nina's friendship with Iris and gives it hope for a second chance.

The only criticism I have is the pacing and the (lack) consequences to the Oddballs choices. I wanted to get to know Nina's life a bit more and her relationships- both with campers, staff, and her family. And once the Oddballs secret is reviled, I would have liked a longer exploration of their relationship with Aunt Audrey. They deliberately kept information from her, and while their reasoning for why is understandable, I think there could have been a couple more scenes of the girls gaining her trust back.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! It is very clear that Lynne Kelly cares for animals and also the discovery of self and wants to spread that onto young viewers.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

You may remember author Lynne Kelly from Song for a Whale, the award-winning book about a deaf girl who is drawn to a whale with a unique voice. Song for a Whale is an introspective book whereas The Secret Language of Birds feels less so.

Nina starts out the book as a solitary figure, with no real friends and often at odds with her family. In fact, the opening scene, which I don’t want to give away, drives home the point and sets the tone for the novel.

It’s at camp that Nina flourishes. There, she learns about the value of friends and gains a different family perspective. All of Kelly’s characters are compelling, but it’s really this new ensemble of friends that really shines.

The Secret Language of Birds does have a heavy focus on birds and birding, so it will appeal more to readers who share that interest. However, it’s a hopeful, fast-moving novel that would work well as a classroom read aloud.

This has definitely been one of my top books of the year so far. I love a really beautifully written middle grade book that I can enjoy and then share with my children, and Lynne Kelly has provided us with exactly that in this beautiful book.

From the beginning, when Nina is forgotten at Buc-ee's, I had to giggle. She describes the store perfectly, and the love my own family has for any and all Buc-ee's locations is very much reflected in her specific descriptions, so it was a beautiful start to the story, though the goings on were not funny in the least. Nina was scared, but held herself together well, and just went with the flow. She shows strong character development from the beginning, and it just flows through the entire book. The group of 'Oddballs' that she joins up with later in the story is so cute, and so much fun.

I loved every single bit of this story, and have already picked up another book of Kelly's to jump into while my kiddos check this one out!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. I truly, truly loved this story from beginning to end. Definitely a 5+ star read!

This book did not hit me as hard as Kelly's first novel, Song for a Whale. That book made me cry. However, Kelly has a significant talent for writing underdog characters who seem like the odd kiddo out until they accomplish something extraordinary. It may not save the world but it saves the world for that person and that is a truly powerful feeling in her books.

In this book, Nina has a large family who all seem to be outgoing and good at things. Nina dreams about making friends with a girl across the street but doesn't have the courage to act on it. In hopes of some kind of change, she attends her aunt's summer camp just to get out of the house. There she encounters a group of girls much like herself and even more to her delight, she discovers two rare birds living in the marsh near the camp.

Kelly is an extremely talented writer with a gift for creating charming characters who you root for from the very beginning. I strongly recommend this middle grade novel for readers of any genre. There is a little for everyone.

Plus, I couldn't help but smile every time I read "Bee Holler" (the name of the town where the camp is). Made me wonder what a Bee hollering might sound like.

My thanks to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for this ARC.

Happy to have a companion to Song for a Whale as that one is well loved by students and teachers alike in my school!

This one has summer camp, a mystery of birds, new friends and old friends, fantastic use of technology for good and interesting characters!

Definitely one to add to the collection.

I really enjoyed this middle grade novel about Nina, who spends the summer at her aunt's summer camp and stumbles across a nest of rare whooping cranes. Nina is a wonderful character who I think many middle graders could identify with. She feels out of place within her family and at school, and is trying to figure out exactly how to fit in and where she belongs. At camp, she finds a wonderful group of friends who call themselves the "Oddballs." As Nina gets to know these new friends and works together with them to protect the whooping cranes, she becomes more confident in herself and learns what it means to find your "flock". This book is a sequel to A Song for a Whale but can be read as a standalone (as I did) and fully enjoyed. The book did spark my interest to go back and read the previous novel as well. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

Nina is the middle child in a house with five children. On a stop to Bucky's (a Texas roadside convenience store and gas station) she follows the call of a Mocking Bird, gets left behind, and starts a passion for birding. This passion leads her to a visit to her Aunt Audrey's for part of the summer. Audrey is the director of an outdoors camp for girls. There Nina makes new friends and discovers a once in a lifetime bird sighting. Can her enthusiasm get her in trouble or can it be what saves her and helps her to discover herself? Such a hopeful story about self discovery, bird discovery and finding your flock!

Our POV is Nina, thirteen, a tough year even when a person doesn't feel like the odd one in the middle of a boisterous family and at a boisterous school.
Nina tends to obsess about odd things, or what others consider odd. Her mother, in a desperate attempt to corral all that bursting emotion, manages Nina's life, and sends her to the summer camp run by her aunt, though promising she can return at once if she doesn't like it.

When Nina discovers a Cause in a nest of rare whooping cranes, and some actual friends, the story just soars. I just loved this tale--the heart, the observations, the care about animals. I wish this book had been around when I was an oddball Nina's age.

A must for those middle-school readers in a desperate search for someone like themselves.

This companion book to Song for a Whale highlights the whooping crane. Specifically a pair of whooping cranes who are in a part of Texas where they have not been seen for nearly a century. Our main character Nina is the same girl who struggled to communicate with Iris in the previous book. One really nice piece of the narrative of this new book is the healing that takes place when Nina enlists Iris to help with identifying one of the cranes. A wonderful story highlighting the beauties of God's creation and the wonders of birdwatching.

My husband and I spent a chunk of early 2024 down near Corpus Christi and were able to see some of the migrating whooping cranes on their way to Canada. We also made sure and stop at a couple of Buc-ees on our way south. Actually being in that part of the country recently really elevated my book experience!

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. Happy Publication Week!

Nina is a bit of an odd bird. She loves a topic that not many kids her age are interested in - birds. She struggles to make friends and sometimes feels like she doesn't even fit in with her own family. When she is invited to spend the summer at a camp run by her aunt, she reluctantly agrees to give it a try. Her aunt is the black sheep of the family so Nina feels a connection to her. She's just not sure about socializing with a new group of kids. At camp, Nina discovered a pair of rare birds. There is a mystery surrounding them and Nina is determined to solve it with the help of her fellow campers. This is a story about embracing your interests no matter how quirky they may seem to others. It's also about finding true friendship. There is a connection to the author's previous hit book, A Song for a Whale, but having not yet read that one, I can tell you that you don't need to read the books in order.

Thanks to Random House Children's, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for a review copy of The Secret Language of Birds.

I cannot wait to read this with my two boys (10 and 11) who are both obsessed with bird sightings. Nina’s story of feeling like an awkward teenager/tween who is not sure where she fits in at school and her larger family is one that most of us can relate to. She finds herself at a summer camp run by her nature-loving quirky Aunt. It was heart-warming to see Nina find a place with a group of girls who all see themselves as outsiders at the camp. While participating in a right of passage at the camp on the first night, Nina discovers what she thinks is a rare bird. The story follows her as she and her friends keep this secret bird safe and their friendship grow.

“Song for a Whale” is one of our favorite books and I loved that Lynne Kelly brought Iris (the deaf main character from that book) into this story. It was so good to see how Nina was able to learn from her previous mistakes with Iris and still forge a friendship, an important lesson for us all. I love the way Kelly brings characters with disabilities into her stories so seamlessly.

Kids will enjoy the adventure and mystery in this book and adults will appreciate the underlying message of acceptance and self-love.

The Secret Language of Birds by Lynne Kelly is about Nina, a girl who loves birds. Nina decides one summer to go to the camp her aunt runs. While there she discovers that two endangered birds have made a nest in an abandoned part of the camp. Throughout her stay at camp, Nina not only gets to observe the birds but finds herself with a group of girls she is able to feel at home with.

This was a well done middle grade book that deals with the trials of friendships and belonging. I enjoyed the connections with Kelly's earlier book Song for a Whale. This would make a great read aloud that could also pull in science and environmental curricular connections . I will definitely be purchasing for my library!

Nina is a thirteen-year-old bird enthusiast, middle child, who is just looking for a place to fit in and feel like she belongs. All her efforts at making friends seem to blow up in her face because she gets so excited sometimes her brain can't stop her mouth. Near the end of 7th grade her sister suggests that she try something new over the summer. That's how Nina ends up at Camp Bee Holler for a month with her Aunt Audrey. There's she sticks out for not being a paying camper, but not being staff either. Luckily, she meets three other girls her age who are also first year campers, even though the camp takes kids as young as ten. Nina's excited to think that she might finally have found some friends, at least until an after-dark adventure leads her to discover a ghost, that might actually be a whooping crane nesting in Texas, where they haven't been seen for over one hundred years. Is it possible? Will her new friends think she's too weird if they find out about her obsession with birds? How can she tell Aunt Audrey about the birds safe when technically she only knows about them because of participating in an activity that was technically against camp rules? How can she keep them safe without Aunt Audrey's help?

This novel is part coming-of-age, part friendship, part adventure, and part mystery geared toward the middle grade reader and it was a quick, enjoyable, entertaining read. I recommend it for fans of birds and fans of middle grade lit. 4.5 stars