Bird

Bird

Zetta Elliott

Illustrator

Shadra Strickland

Publisher

Lee & Low Book

Publication Year

2008

ISBN

9781600602412

Pages

48 pages

Genre

realism

Format

picture book

Item Type

Fiction

Annotation

Young Mekhai, better known as Bird, loves to draw. With drawings, he can erase the things that don't turn out right. In real life, problems aren’t so easily fixed. As Bird struggles to understand the death of his beloved grandfather and his older brother’s drug addiction, he escapes into his art. Drawing is an outlet for Bird’s emotions and imagination, and provides a path to making sense of his world. In time, with the help of his grandfather’s friend, Bird finds his own special somethin’ and wings to fly. Told with spare grace, Bird is a touching look at a young boy coping with real-life troubles. Readers will be heartened by Bird’s quiet resilience, and moved by the healing power of putting pencil to paper.

Grade Level

3-5

Lexile Measure

AD600L

Diversity Topics

Family Relationships; Disability and Health; Family member death; Addiction; death of a sibling; death of a brother; death of a grandparent; death of a grandfather; grief; loss; drug addiction; drug abuse

Main Character

male child

Race/Ethnicities

African American

Family Formation

mother and father

Awards

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent, 2009, Winner
Cybils Awards, 2008, Finalist, Fiction Picture Book
Ezra Jack Keats Book Award - New Illustrator, 2009, Winner
Lee & Low New Voices Award, 2005, Winner
Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, 2009, Winner, Grades 4-6
Storytelling World Resource Award, 2010, Honor Book, Stories for Adolescent Listeners
West Virginia Children's Book Award, 2011, Winner
16 Childrens Books that Will Make You See the World Differently, 2016 Children's Book
28 Days Later, 2009 Picture Book Feature
50 Books about Grief and Loss, 2011 Loss of a Sibling or Friend
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2009 Ages (9 to 12)
Choices, 2009 Picture Books for School-Age Children
Kirkus Best Children's Books, 2008
Kirkus Book Review Stars, 2008
Notable Children's Books, 2009 Middle Reader

Keywords

birds; drawing; park; music; planes; city; friendship; graffiti; art; coping

Diversity Impact

direct

Bird

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