Birdie and Me
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that J.M.M. Nuanez' Birdie and Me is a tale told by 12-year-old Jack (short for Jacqueline) about life with her 9-year-old brother, Birdie. She's been Birdie's primary caregiver and defender most of her life -- and he's never happier than when he's wearing glamorous clothes and makeup like Audrey Hepburn. Ten months ago their single mom, who suffered from mental illness and kept them in an exciting but unstable life, died, and since then they've been with their Uncle Carl, who feeds them lots of junk food but isn't much for school meetings. When they have to go live with their more stable Uncle Patrick instead, they run away. Birdie is beaten and bullied by boys at his school. Teen and adult characters smoke cigarettes. A teen character's mother is always off with one of her many, often abusive, boyfriends. In short, there's a lot going on here, with lots of characters trying to do their best, falling short, and sometimes trying again and doing better.
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What's the Story?
BIRDIE AND ME opens as 12-year-old Jack and her brother Birdie (their late mother named them after Jacqueline Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson) are reluctantly packing up to go live with their Uncle Patrick in a small Northern California town. They've been living with their Uncle Carl, who feeds them junk food, lets them cut school, and (the cause of the trouble) fails to show up for meetings with Birdie's teacher. The teacher wants to discuss the fact that Birdie's fondness for sparkly clothes, eye shadow, and purple nail polish are getting him a lot of unwelcome attention at school. Patrick, on the other hand, seems to be the designated adult in the extended family, and Jack fears what will happen, as their lives have been getting steadily worse -- and people less accepting of Birdie -- since their mom died almost a year ago.
Is It Any Good?
There's a lot happening in this tale of two orphans trying to make their way in a world of deeply flawed, usually well-meaning, people in the wake of their loving but mentally unstable mom's death. Nine-year-old Birdie gets unwelcome attention because he favors sparkly clothes and purple makeup, and his 12-year-old sister, Jack, is his main protector. Their emotions and vulnerability as they navigate what's often been a volatile, senseless world in search of family and stability, plus the sympathetic adults and wisecracking kids who help, make Birdie and Me a relatable, thought-provoking read that's sometimes as overwhelming to the reader as it is to the characters. Here, the kids remember their mom and their life with her:
"'I hated it when she got upset. Because then she'd disappear and it didn't matter how many times it happened, I always wondered if she'd come out of her room again.'
"'She always came out, though,' says Birdie. 'And you always made really good grilled cheese and ramen and bean burritos when she was hiding in her room.'
"'But I didn't want to do that, Birdie. I wanted her to do that. I always wanted her not to disappear.'
"'I know,' he says. 'Me too.'"
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories about people -- like Birdie -- who go their own way and don't conform to what people expect of them. What other stories have you read with those kinds of characters? How does Birdie and Me compare?
Do you know any kids who had to go live with relatives or someone else when their parent died or became unable to care for them? How did their lives change? Was there anything you could do to help make things easier?
Have you ever gone for a balloon ride? What was it like? Did you like it?
Book Details
- Author: J. M. M. Nuanez
- Genre: Family Life
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, Friendship
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Kathy Dawson Books
- Publication date: February 18, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 12
- Number of pages: 256
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: November 30, 2020
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For kids who love friendships and family stories
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