Extraordinary Birds

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Pub Date 30 Apr 2019 | Archive Date 30 Apr 2019

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Description

Eleven-year-old December knows everything about birds, and everything about getting kicked out of foster homes. All she has of her biological mum is the book she left behind, The Complete Guide to Birds, Volume One, and a photo with a message: 'In flight is where you'll find me.' December knows she's truly a bird, just waiting for the day she transforms and flies away to reunite with her mum. The scar on her back must be where her wings have started to blossom – she just needs to practise and to find the right tree. She has no choice; it's the only story that makes sense. When she's placed with Eleanor, a new foster mum who runs a taxidermy business and volunteers at a wildlife rescue, December begins to see herself and what home means in a new light. But the story she tells herself about her past is what's kept December going this long, and she doesn't know if she can let go of it ... even if changing her story might mean that she can finally find a place where she belongs.

Eleven-year-old December knows everything about birds, and everything about getting kicked out of foster homes. All she has of her biological mum is the book she left behind, The Complete Guide to...


Available Editions

ISBN 9781526603159
PRICE £6.99 (GBP)

Average rating from 6 members


Featured Reviews

A beautiful and engaging story about loneliness, dealing with abandonment, developing friendships and relationships amidst community prejudice. Relatable protagonists and a gripping plot that gently twists and turns to gradually reveal clues about the identity challenges faced by the central characters as their relationships evolve. Highly recommended to Upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 children; this novel would be a fantastic class reader as it gently explores a range of topical PSHCE issues!

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My main literary loves are crime and horror, but I do try and read outside of those genres as often as I can. 'Extraordinary Birds' was just such a read. It's a charming, moving, coming of age tale, about a damaged young girl, December, who believes she is a bird.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I found it to be a gripping, deeply engaging read. It's a book for children, but doesn't soft-pedal or condescend and I think adults would find just as much to like in it as kids. December is a wonderful protagonist, and her avian obsessions are fascinating and really help the book come alive.
It's a tale that covers the things you'd expect it to: bullying, the difficulty of parent-child relationships, our common need for love; but it does them all well. I enjoyed it far more than I expected to and finished it with a lump in my throat.

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