Common Sense Media Review
Lyrical and plotless -- for patient readers.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Based on 9 kid reviews
Kids say the book offers deep insights into hope and provides valuable lessons, though many feel it lacks a cohesive plot, leaving readers wanting more. While it's appreciated for its well-written style and depth, it seems best suited for older children and tweens rather than younger audiences.
- hope themes
- lacks plot
- suitable for tweens
- well-written style
- mixed age appeal
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
There is no plot, but here are the elements. In 1971, with war in the background, Franny's brother is deaf, and her mother is pregnant again after several miscarriages. In school, there's a new white student in her all-black class, and her best friend thinks he might be Jesus, while the class bully can't seem to leave him alone.
Is It Any Good?
There are kids' books written to appeal to kids, and there are kids' books like FEATHERS, written to appeal to the adults who buy the books for kids. There's almost always at least one of the latter type among the Newbery winners. They tend be cerebral rather than emotional, to involve Big Ideas, such as racism, poverty, and religion, but they are often rather skimpy on actual, you know, story.
That's not to say that it isn't good -- it is. It's beautifully written, lyrical, thoughtful, at times even wise. There are undoubtedly some kids, patient and experienced readers who don't need a story to keep them turning the pages, who will enjoy this, maybe even love it. But not many. Mostly it will be loved by the adults who make the purchasing decisions. But for those who assume that a Newbery Honor means it's a good book to recommend to kids, here is, yet again, proof of the falseness of that assumption.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Dickenson's poem. What is it about? Why did the author use it so pervasively? How does it apply to the lives of these characters? Also, why do you think this book won the Newbery Honor?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : School
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Publication date : March 1, 2007
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 14
- Number of pages : 118
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Award : Newbery Medal and Honors
- Last updated : January 15, 2026
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