THE BIRD THIEF

Twelve-year-old Erin’s mother has struggled with depression ever since Aunty Sophie, Mum’s beloved sister, passed away. Erin herself battles fairly severe OCD; her symptoms—including compulsively checking things and counting—can be isolating. An ordinary summer trip to stay in a “static caravan” near a place in the countryside that was special to Mum and Aunty Sophie leads Erin to meet Bess, a mean-spirited yet magnetic girl. Following Bess’ lead, Erin ventures beyond the fence enclosing the caravan park and into the forest. When she climbs a tree to look at a goldfinch’s nest and falls, the goldfinches, fantastically, do more than heal her—they pass on some of their bird nature. Erin experiences a shift in her sense of time, develops the ability to fly, and can understand the speech of a particular goldfinch who strongly resembles her most precious childhood comfort object, Fable, a cuddly toy goldfinch. As Bess and the real Fable lead Erin to realize that something sinister is happening to the goldfinches, they find themselves in the crosshairs of a dangerous situation. The plot covers a lot of ground quickly, and though her abilities are mysterious, Erin is a compelling character whose OCD is part of her but does not define her. Well-placed illustrations appear at powerful emotional moments (final art not seen). Main characters present white.

Mar 6, 2025 - 07:25

Twelve-year-old Erin’s mother has struggled with depression ever since Aunty Sophie, Mum’s beloved sister, passed away. Erin herself battles fairly severe OCD; her symptoms—including compulsively checking things and counting—can be isolating. An ordinary summer trip to stay in a “static caravan” near a place in the countryside that was special to Mum and Aunty Sophie leads Erin to meet Bess, a mean-spirited yet magnetic girl. Following Bess’ lead, Erin ventures beyond the fence enclosing the caravan park and into the forest. When she climbs a tree to look at a goldfinch’s nest and falls, the goldfinches, fantastically, do more than heal her—they pass on some of their bird nature. Erin experiences a shift in her sense of time, develops the ability to fly, and can understand the speech of a particular goldfinch who strongly resembles her most precious childhood comfort object, Fable, a cuddly toy goldfinch. As Bess and the real Fable lead Erin to realize that something sinister is happening to the goldfinches, they find themselves in the crosshairs of a dangerous situation. The plot covers a lot of ground quickly, and though her abilities are mysterious, Erin is a compelling character whose OCD is part of her but does not define her. Well-placed illustrations appear at powerful emotional moments (final art not seen). Main characters present white.