Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Saunders
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Timeless novel about first love and family solidarity.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
When THE REVOLUTION OF BIRDIE RANDOLPH begins, Dove, nicknamed Birdie, arrives at her family's apartment to find that her aunt Carlene has come to stay for a while. She learns Carlene has a long history of substance abuse, but is now clean and sober, and participating in Alcoholics Anonymous. Meanwhile Birdie is falling in love with Booker, a teen with a very different class background and a troubled past, and she hides that information from her parents. Desire to be with Booker, her relationship with her aunt, and a family secret lead Birdie to break out of her lifelong role as the perfectly behaved daughter.
Is It Any Good?
This coming-of-age novel could become a classic and belongs in that rare company of books that capture what it feels like to be a teenager. Though some of the issues Birdie and her friends face in The Revolution of Birdie Randolph are contemporary (like vaping and asexuality), most are timeless: dating a boy your parents might not approve of, finding an aunt you can confide in about things you can't discuss with Mom, awakening to who your parents are as people, and the rocky path toward independence and adulthood.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the sibling reationships in The Revolution of Birdie Rudolph. How are Carlene and Kitty able to resolve their past conflicts and forgive? How do Mimi and Birdie demonstrate their closeness?
What do you think of how drug and alcohol use and recovery from addiction are depicted in the story? Do they seem realistic? Why or why not?
How do Birdie's role models and confidants -- her parents, aunt, boyfriend, best friend, her mom's business partner, and even her doctor -- support different facets of her growth?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little Brown and Company
- Publication date : August 20, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 18
- Number of pages : 337
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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