Nina has a passion for birding. She is the middle child of a large family and often feels ignored and alone. She has trouble making friends at school, stumbling over words and intentions. But birding makes her feel special and in control. When she attends a summer camp run by her Aunt Audrey, she makes an amazing discovery: a pair of whooping cranes have nested in the marsh. Whooping cranes are extremely endangered and haven't nested in Texas for a hundred years. Along with her new camp friends, Nina tracks and researches whooping cranes, eagerly waiting to see the new hatchling.

The characters are a bit flat and Nina's friendship with Iris feels obsessive. But the story is entertaining and informative. Fans of A Song for a Whale will enjoy the connection to Iris's story. Readers who enjoy nature and animal stories will enjoy this one.

Nina is spending the summer at her aunt's camp where she plans to learn more about bird-watching. What she's not expecting is to find a whooping crane - which hasn't been seen in this area of Texas. But Nina is certain she's correctly identified the crane, and with the help of new friends she is determined to keep it safe.

This middle grade book is a sweet story of friendship and finding yourself.

Such a great book. Engaging and fast paced. Light and adventurous. I was completely hooked.

This book has so much to love. It is a story about birds, certainly. But it is also a story about self-discovery and about friendship—finding one's place in a group, no matter how much you feel like an outsider.

And what I love most is the poignant and incredibly relevant subtext. This book is a touching tribute to endangered species and conservation. It's also a reminder of the dangers of hunting for sport.

An important and compelling story. I'll be looking out for more of Lynne Kelly's books.

"Nina is used to feeling like the odd one out, both at school and in her large family. But while trying to fit in at summer camp, she discovers something even more peculiar: two majestic birds have built a nest in the marsh behind an abandoned infirmary. They appear to be whooping cranes, but that’s impossible—Nina is an amateur bird-watcher, and all her resources tell her that those rare birds haven’t nested in Texas for over a hundred years."

the cover is gorgeous

When I saw this book on @netgalley I had to read it. I LOVED Song for a Whale.

This was just as delightful. It is its own story, however if you’ve read Song for a Whale there is a fun connection. Nina is delightful. I’m still looking for these mythical summer long camps like this book describes. Nature. Wonderful friends. Finding kindred spirits.

Such an enjoyable read. My first for #middlegrademarch this year. This comes out April 9th. I recommend picking it up.

#netgalley

It's no secret that after a more intense reading experience I tend to gravitate toward something to clean my literary palate. Award-winning author Lynne Kelly's "The Secret Language of Birds" has been just such an experience, a beautifully told story that warms the heart and captivates the mind with equal vigor.

The story centers around Nina, an oddball of sorts in both her large family and at school. Attempting to sort some things out, she decides to spend part of her Summer at her aunt Audrey's summer camp to the shock and slight dismay of her loving but somewhat detached parents.

Initially intending this to be merely a brief deviation from her Summer routine, Nina finds herself drawn toward a unique group of girls where it would seem she's just a little bit less odd. One night, they follow the camp tradition of heading out to investigate an allegedly haunted infirmary and thus begins a remarkably tender story once she discovers a pair of endangered birds about to lay eggs in the marshes behind the old, abandoned infirmary. Already an amateur birdwatcher herself, Nina suspects they're whooping cranes, though that seems impossible since whooping cranes haven't been seen in these parts for years.

Our story turns into a myriad of wonderful little branches to this literary tree. "The Secret Language of Birds" is part mystery, part coming-of-age, part story about friendship and finding one's place and one's identity.

The characters here are vividly brought to life by Kelly, some before we even truly meet them. One can practically see this precious little camp with doting Audrey, curious campers, protective camp counselors, a haunted infirmary, Miss Odetta, and those wonderful and mysterious birds.

As a reader with disabilities, I even found myself completely enchanted by how intelligently and respectfully Kelly weaves a deaf character into the occasion and deals with the issue of inclusion.

There's so much beauty here that even as the closing pages were winding down I found myself wanting to read it all over again.

"The Secret Language of Birds" is one for the collection, a delightful middle-grade novel with believable characters and a story destined to become a classic. I enjoyed it from beginning to end and can't wait to read it all over again.

Nina is a young girl that feels a little misplaced. A summer spent at camp begins the process of her finding out who she is.

I’m not a huge lover of “coming-of-age” stories, but this was very lovely. I loved the descriptions of the swamp and the birds. It was educational and fun to read. I haven’t read “Song for a Whale,” so maybe I missed a little bit of the story between her and Iris, but I didn’t feel like I missed much. It was explained well. I’m just not sure why she was so obsessed with being friends with the Iris. It felt obsessive. That was my only negative. It was a good book and I did enjoy it very much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children for the ARC. This was my honest review.

At home, Nina felt that she did not belong and struggled to make friends at school. She hails from a large family, but goes by herself to her aunt's summer camp in Texas, where she explores the marshes and sees two whooping cranes. This seems impossible because the birds are not known to nest in the state. Nina and her fellow campers vow to get to the bottom of this mystery by studying the nesting birds all summer, which leads her to develop friendships with these girls. My 4th grader, who also read the book, wished that there was more adventure over the course of the girls' investigation. Overall, this was a sweet story for middle grade readers that had wonderful descriptions of nature and wildlife throughout the story!

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Children's books for this advanced readers copy. I loved this book about a young girl who feels lost in her family and finds a rare bird while away at summer camp. She reports the rare whooping cranes, but wildlife specialists are skeptical as they don’t have them on record. Whooping cranes are endangered species and haven’t nested in Texas for decades. All whooping cranes have been named and tagged by the wildlife services to keep track on the species and their populations and movements. This is a very touching story of funding your place and being special. I also read this author’s first book about a deaf girl and a whale and loved that one as well. Will definitely check out more from this author.

The Secret Language of Birds is a very cute middle grade book about a girl who doesn't seem to fit in anywhere she goes. She goes to summer camp and finds a rare bird that hasn't been seen in her area of Texas in 100 years. There isn't a lot more to the plot than that. She doesn't really resolve any of her feelings of not fitting in, and it's never really explain why she feels that way in the first place, as she makes friends very easily in the book. It's a companion novel to Song for A Whale, and might make more sense if you read it first.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC of The Secret Language of Birds. This middle grade book is a delightful look at a 13-year-old girl who feels like she doesn't belong. (It seems many teens feel they don't belong - however...) During her summer camp experience, she meets some endangered cranes and gets to know her Aunt Audrey better and makes some oddball friends. She is even able to reconnect with Iris, a character from the author's previous book, Song for a Whale. I enjoyed this book very much. I liked the characters and would love them as my neighbors, and I think you will t00. #netgalley #thesecretlanguageof birds #lynnekelly

Nina goes to Aunt Audrey’s summer camp where one night she and some of the camp girls hear and see a bird in the marsh. After research Nina finds out it’s a whooping crane. When the girls go back they see a second crane. They don’t live in this area so Nina and her camp friends call the wildlife department and find out Odetta knows this crane but not the female one. They realize there is a nest with an egg. Odetta wants to visit to check the egg out. What happens then? A wonderful coming-of-age story about new friends, connecting with an old friend, and endangered birds.

Nina is always felt like the odd one out; at school, with her family and with the Deaf girl who lives across the street. Given a chance to attend a summer wilderness camp run by her Aunt, Nina is ok with helping the adults set up camp, but when the campers her age arrive, Nina is ready to pack it in and head home. Socially awkward, Nina would rather spend time by herself watching birds than interacting with the rest of the campers. When she meets a group of three girls calling themselves "The Oddballs" it seems that Nina has finally found her circle of friends.

But friends isn't all that Nina has found that summer. By an abandoned Infirmary near the swamp, Nina discovers a bird that hasn't been seen in Texas for over a hundred years. And surprise! it has a mate and is nesting. Sharing her secret with her new friends, the group discovers the birds are endangered Whooping Cranes and calls a wildlife expert to share their discovery. The male bird is in the registry, but who is the female? She doesn't show up on any registry. The girls are up to the challenge and are determined to solve the mystery and identify the female before camp is over.

A wonderful tale of finding your place in life's "flock." Realizing your strengths and coming to accept who you are are lessons woven subtly into the story. The mystery of identifying the female Whooping Crane is an excellent tool to show how the group bonds together. And perhaps, just like the cranes bond for life, these campers will have found bonds of friendship that will last throughout their lives too.

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's, Delacorte Press through NetGalley.
Tears in my eyes as I finished this one. Kelly has a sensitive touch when sharing her characters with readers. We meet Nina as summer approaches and she is figuring out what she wants to do. She decides to spend the summer with her Aunt Audrey at the camp she runs. Nina struggles to fit in and make friends so looks forward to time in nature. Her interest in birds comes into play when she discovers whooping crane mates building a nest. This is extremely rare in Texas and she uses her skills to document their lives. She also becomes friends with three campers who make her feel welcome and offer acceptance of who she is.
I love seeing the four girls grow over the summer weeks. Readers see them share about themselves and live in community and acceptance. Nina is accepted for who she is and begins to figure out what she wants from life. I appreciate Kelly bringing Iris (Song for a Whale) in and to see the healing for Nina and she by the story's end.
Tender story of growing up and finding a place to belong.

I admire how the author conveys a great life lesson without being preachy. This is a wonderful middle grade novel about a girl who finds an "oddball" group of friends. The author does a great job of conveying what it feels like when you don't fit in, a feeling that should be relatable to many readers of all ages. I loved reading about Nina's interest in birds. I think the story will inspire readers to appreciate nature. The focus on the environment and friendships make this one a winner.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance e-galley; all opinions are 100% my own.

Lynne Kelly, like all great storytellers, has the gift to spin an engrossing story with realistic and engaging characters. Nina is a young girl with a loving family, who wants her to succeed. Unfortunately she is shy and doesn’t always stand out among her siblings and sometimes feels forgotten, with good reason. She developed a passion for bird watching and study that encourages her to go to her Aunt Audrey’s summer camp where she finally finds a group of friends, aptly named The Oddballs, who accept her for who she is and give her a great deal of much needed support. While investigating a local ghost story one night, she discovers something amazing: a nesting pair of highly endangered whooping cranes. Although the task of protecting them seems enormous she commits to it with her friends wholeheartedly to make sure tourists don’t find the birds and cause them to abandon their nest or worse. Over the summer this helps her build confidence in herself and repair and strengthen bonds with the girls that help her.

This cleverly woven rainbow of a tale illustrates how young people can make a huge difference, the importance of friendship in our developing years, and how differences can be strengths when give the opportunity to flourish. It perfectly meshes an ecological and educational teaching about large and highly vulnerable animals with that of a coming of age and self discovery and growth of a girl who is her own kind of miracle but needs help to realize it. Perfectly charming, heartwarming and fun. Great characters that are realistic but enjoyable.

I read this book out loud to my eleven-year-old daugher, and we were both wholly invested after the first page. Any book that starts with a Buc-ee's scene is a good one in my opinion. I introduced my daughter to Buc-ees (and Texas) last spring, and she loved being able to relate to the setting. Really, the book just kept getting better and better from there.

Nina is a middle child of a busy, big family. She feels forgotten (with good reason, because she did get left at Buc-ees), and senses a need for a change in her life. When her older sister explains to her the idea of zugunruhe, which is the German word for the way birds feel the need to migrate. Nina decides to give in to her own sense of zugunruhe (such a fun word and concept) and asks if she can spend the summer with her Aunt Audrey at a sleep-away camp in Bee Holler, Texas. At first she intends to stay only a few weeks, but soon she finds a reason to stay: the discovery of two endangered whooping cranes in a nearby marsh.

This book is an incredible coming-of-age story, with heart and excitement. The friendships and characters will make you want to settle in and stay at camp in Bee Holler along with Nina. Although I hadn't read the first of Lynne Kelly's books, Song For a Whale, my daughter had (and she highly recommended it, I just hadn't gotten around to reading it). Her love for Song For A Whale was what led me to this request book and I'm so grateful to have had the experience of reading this one along with her. When the main character of that book, Iris, made an appearance in The Secret Language of Birds, my daughter pulled the book off the shelf and reread it. These are the kinds of books I wish for her--ones that teach her something, make her think, and inspire her to be a better friend and human.

100% highly recommend!

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved Lynne Kelly’s book “Song for a Whale,” so I was excited to read her newest one! I really enjoyed reading from Nina’s perspective and how she navigating making friends.

Nina feels either invisible or so out of place that she wishes she was invisible. Her hobby of studying all things “bird” really sets her apart from others in her family and at school and she wonders if she’ll ever find a niche where she feels both comfortable and seen by those who understand and like her. Summer camp plans have always handled by her mom, but this year, with encouragement from her older sister, Nina asked to spend the summer with her Aunt Audrey, an outdoor enthusiast and camp owner/director, who is also seen as a bit different. Camp provides Nina with not only plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature but when she discovers a pair of nesting endangered whooping cranes who aren’t supposed to be in Texas, she discovers a sense of purpose and a group of girls who just might be that niche she’s been searching for. Readers from Texas will love all the references to places like Buc-ee’s and the best ice cream on the planet, Bluebell! Everyone will connect with Nina’s insecurities and hope for good friends. Great nature knowledge sprinkled liberally throughout a great story and fans of camera and phone tech will appreciate the inclusion of many tools used to identify individual cranes. Kelly’s descriptions of the marsh area and the nesting cranes are detailed and give ample material for ELA teachers. Excellent choice for grades 4-6. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence. Physical descriptions are limited as are any cultural references so race of characters is left to the imagination of the reader.

This is the story of a family which begins with a somewhat unfortunate event, but overall this is a story of their daughter Nina and her Aunt, and the Camp which her Aunt owns, and the summer that she decides to go to spend her summer at the camp. A summer that changes everything for her, and changes her, as well.

Nina is a bit of a loner, although she has tried to make friends at school, she seems to feel as though she doesn’t really fit in anywhere. She loves nature, especially birds. Her first few days and nights, she begins to get to know some of the girls at camp, but she still doesn’t feel comfortable with them - yet. A few of the older girls make fun of her for her knowledge of birds and label her with a new nickname - Wikipedia. After a while, a few of the girls she’s been getting to know convince her to go with them, a tradition that has been passed down, to go to ‘Josephine’s infirmary’ on the first full moon.

Once there, they check around the building, getting ready to add their names to the wall, when Nina’s flashlight landed on something tall and white outside, and Nina reacts by dropping the flashlight, which has all the girls gasping in reaction. When Nina picks up her flashlight pointing it in the same direction, whatever it was, it was still standing there, and a sharp screech pierced the night.

This is aimed at Middle School readers, but is an enjoyable read for all ages, and while I am not giving any clues as to what follows, the twist it takes is a sweet one, and it begins to give Nina an idea to follow, and so she does, and in many ways, it changes the way she views others, as well as herself.


Pub Date: 09 April 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press