Like a Bird - by Becky Citra (Paperback)

About the Book

"A year ago, Rachel Bird hated it in small-town Aspen Lake. She and her little sister, Jane, had just moved in with grandparents she never even knew they had. But this summer looks very different. Rachel has a best friend, a boyfriend, and she gets to ride her horse, Magic. They are all sweltering under a heat dome and though Rachel's heard about the dangerous wildfires, they all seem very far away. Then the grass turns yellow and Rachel smells smoke all the time. Just when she was finally letting herself settle in, her new home threatens to go up in smoke. Worse, her grandfather refuses to leave the ranch. If the fires reach Aspen Lake, will Rachel and her family be able to make it out in time? And what will happen to everything they leave behind?"--

Book Synopsis

A year ago, Rachel Bird hated it in small-town Aspen Lake. She and her little sister, Jane, had just moved in with grandparents they never knew they had. But this summer looks very different. Rachel has a best friend, a boyfriend, and she gets to ride her horse, Magic. They are all sweltering under a heat dome, and though Rachel's heard about the dangerous wildfires, they seem very far away.
Then the grass turns yellow and Rachel smells smoke all the time. Just when she was finally letting herself settle in, her new home is in jeopardy. If the fires reach Aspen Lake, will Rachel and her family be able to make it out in time? And what will happen to everything they leave behind?

Review Quotes

"As well as Citra's novel being a coming-of-age story, Citra deals with other important themes, not the least of which is climate change and its ongoing effects being felt more and more....Rachel grows up in a very practical sense but also changes emotionally throughout Like a Bird. This book will appeal to a variety of readers, with its friendships and romance, its strong story about the importance of family and the frightening /exciting scenario of living where forest fires threaten you and your home. Highly Recommended."

-- "CM Reviews"

"Rachel's ranch and town feel fully lived in, with depth in neighborly relationships and ample evidence of the generational roots that tie the Birds to their homestead. Rachel's rides on Magic across their land show how deeply she cares about it, so when fire does threaten the Bird's ranch in the final act, readers feel the weight of all that could burn."

-- "The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"

"The number of threads that are well-woven throughout are impressive....Citra vividly captures contemporary life for young people. The fact that it's rural life makes little difference really: urban, suburban, or rural, our existence now is complicated."

-- "The British Columbia Review"

"Citra does a fine job of ratcheting up suspense as the fire gets ever closer, and there appears to be no way out. In this age of climate change, Like a Bird proves timely and relevant, good for both classroom use and independent reading."

-- "Booklist"

"Readers are led to admire the resilience of both Rachel and the Bird family as a whole.... A deliberately paced, literary coming-of-age survival tale."

-- "Kirkus Reviews"