The Secret Language of Birds

February 15, 2024
Grades 4-7 Thirteen-year-old Nina decides to attend her aunt Audrey's summer camp, where she befriends three cabinmates who call themselves the Oddballs. Like Nina, an avid birdwatcher, they are new to the camp and "kind of weird." One night, they join other older campers for a forbidden midnight excursion to the old infirmary, which is said to be haunted. Intrigued by a tall white bird she spots by moonlight in the nearby marsh, Nina returns by day and verifies that it's a whooping crane, a member of an endangered species. In the weeks that follow, she and her friends secretly watch the bird and its mate. Nina reports her discovery to a wildlife agency but worries about telling Aunt Audrey because she's been breaking camp rules. Kelly sets up an enjoyable, traditional summer camp story before sending Nina off in an entirely different direction as she takes a leadership role and learns from the experience. From the lively characters to the secret at the heart of the plot, this book takes readers on an unusual and rewarding adventure.

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March 1, 2024
After 13-year-old bird lover Nina discovers rare whooping cranes nesting near her summer camp, she must keep them safe--and secret. Ever since a mockingbird sang her name and led her to his nest, Nina has been obsessed with birds--she finds them easier than people. Nina has trouble with boundaries and making friends: "It's like there are rules everyone knows but me." She decides to try Aunt Audrey's summer camp in Bee Holler, so she can bird-watch, but she feels like an outsider among the other campers. When Nina spots a whooping crane in an off-limits area of camp near a marsh, she can't risk telling Aunt Audrey and being sent home for breaking camp rules. But whoopers haven't been seen in her part of Texas for 100 years! Nina must trust fellow new campers Georgie, Emma, and Ant with her discovery if she's going to solve the mystery of where the birds came from. Doing that just might help Nina figure out friendship, too--if they don't get kicked out of camp first. While the narrative pacing is sluggish at time, this sweet tale rewards readers with interesting bird facts and classic middle school cringe moments. Fans of Iris, the protagonist of Kelly's Song for a Whale (2019), will enjoy meeting her again here as a supporting character, although this title stands alone. Nina is cued white; there's some racial diversity among the secondary cast members. A slow but cozy and relatable read for nature lovers and those unraveling the mystery of friendship. (Fiction. 8-12)

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