Wild Bird

Reviewed by: Connie Smith - Breakwater School, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2018

Review

When Wren continues to hang out with the wrong crowd at school and nothing that her loving family tried to do to help her has worked, her parents take drastic measures. They send Wren away to an eight week survival camp in the dessert. A defiant and angry Wren just can't believe that her family has abandoned her. The story is about Wrens's difficult physical, but more importantly mental journey of coming to know her authentic self. She learns that her friends at camp are trustworthy and true unlike her former school mates who introduced her to drugs, stealing and alcohol. As she slowly learns survival skills in the dessert that are difficult to master, but required of her if she is to survive the dessert overnight quest, she starts to gain glimpses of the person she wishes to become. Gradually, a once hateful and uncooperative girl, who blamed her situation on others, is transformed and learns to again appreciate her loving family.

This is a wonderfully powerful book about a girl finding her authentic self. A page-turner and highly recommended.

Overall Book Score: excellent