Extraordinary Birds - Hardcover

Stark-Mcginnis, Sandy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1547601000 ISBN 13: 9781547601004

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2019

Synopsis

For fans of The Thing About Jellyfish, Counting by 7s, and Fish in a Tree, a heartbreaking and hopeful debut novel about a unique young girl on a journey to find home.

December believes she is a bird. The scar on her back is where her wings will sprout, and one day soon, she will soar away. It will not matter that she has no permanent home. Her destiny is in the sky.

But then she’s placed with foster mom Eleanor, a kind woman who volunteers at an animal rescue and has secrets of her own. December begins to see that her story could end a different way – but could she ever be happy down on the ground?

In her arresting debut, Sandy Stark-McGinnis offers an inspiring story about family, friendship, and finding where you belong.

About this title

About the Author

Sandy Stark-McGinnis is a debut author and award-winning poet whose work has appeared in Quercus Review, In the Grove, and Penumbra. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Sandy lives with her husband and children in California, where she works as a fifth grade teacher.
www.sandystarkmcginnis.com
@McGinnisSandy

Review

“A beautiful story filled with heart.” ―Holly Goldberg Sloan, author of Counting by 7s and coauthor of To Night Owl from Dogfish.

“An amazing debut -- filled with heart, lyrical prose, and a heroine who soars!” ―Jewell Parker Rhodes, New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Boys

“A heartbreaking and hopeful story about a young girl who learns the power of kindness and the beauty of belonging.” ―School Library Journal, starred review

"With an endearing and diverse cast of characters, this is a unique debut novel with an inspiring message of hope, determination, and fortitude... Highly Recommended." - School Library Connection, starred review

“Poignant...this heartbreaking but ultimately redemptive middle grade novel shows the beauty of accepting one's true self and finding a place to belong.” ―Foreword Reviews, starred review

“Stark-McGinnis' prose is carefully crafted, direct, and convincing... appealingly hopeful.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“This ably constructed first-person narrative is meant to tug at the heartstrings and it surely does, encouraging readers to hope for a happy ending to this affecting story.”” ―Booklist

“Stark-McGinnis adds a vivid artistic flourish with the avian theme [and] writes with smooth sympathy... This is a gracefully written modern take on the orphan story.” ―BCCB

"Stark-McGinnis nimbly constructs poignant relationships born of reciprocal patience, trust, and understanding, and December’s connections with Eleanor, Cheryllynn, and the red-tailed hawk feel authentic and earned.... This sensitive debut is a sincere and hopeful exploration of family, history, and belonging from a promising new voice." - Publishers Weekly

“This soulful story will wing its way straight into your heart.” ―Jess Keating, zoologist and author of the My Life is a Zoo series

“Such a tender story. You'll root for this bird-loving girl to soar.” ―Sally Pla, award-winning author of The Someday Birds

“An emotional tale about finding one's home and facing one's truth...An extraordinary debut!” ―Ellie Terry, author of Forget Me Not

Edition details

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1547601000
• ISBN 13: 9781547601004
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 224