BIRD
Bird by Angela Johnson. Penguin Group (USA) (Dial), 2004. 144 p.
Summary
Bird, a thirteen-year-old girl, runs away from Cleveland, Ohio to Acorn, Alabama in search of her stepfather. While in Alabama, Bird hides out in a shed and sneaks into her stepfather’s family’s farmhouse for food and a shower while they are out. Ethan, a boy who lives in the farmhouse and who received a heart transplant a few years earlier, sees Bird but does not tell his family. He befriends Bird and brings her food and clothing. Bird also makes friends with another boy in town named Jay. Jay is sad because his brother died. It turns out that the heart transplanted into Ethan was the heart of Jay’s brother. Bird and Jay instantly connect because they are both still grieving their losses. The story is told by the three main characters in alternating chapters, so the reader gets insight into the emotions of all three. CCBC calls this novel, “a strong and delicate story about love, loss, and letting go.”
Awards
ALA Notable Book 2005
ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2005
Author’s Biography
Angela Johnson was born in Tuskegee, Alabama on June 18, 1961. She later moved to Windham, Ohio and attended Kent State University. After college she worked as a child development worker. Johnson began writing children’s picture books and later moved to books for young adults. Three of Johnson’s books have won the Coretta Scott King Author Award.
http://www.ohioreadingroadtrip.org/johnson/
http://www.visitingauthors.com/authors/johnson_angela/johnson_angela_bio.html
Other Titles by Angela Johnson
The First Part Last
Heaven
The Other Side: Shorter Poems
Toning the Sweep
When I Am Old With You
Cool Moonlight
Related Titles: Searching for Parents
Becoming Naomi León by Pam Muñoz Ryan.
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis.
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech.
Classroom Connections
See Tracie Vaughn Zimmer’s Teacher’s Guide
http://www.tracievaughnzimmer.com/Bird.htm
This teacher’s guide includes a collection of discussion and comprehension questions for Bird. It also has curriculum-related activities for language, technology, music, art, and social studies.
Activity 1: Characteristics of Fiction and Realistic Fiction. Excerpts from this
short but very moving novel can be read to illustrate some of the real-life issues
found in realistic fiction.
Activity 3: Presentation of Stories with One Prominent Area (Plot, Setting,
Character). Since this story is told by the three main characters in alternating
chapters, this book can be used to illustrate the dominant presence of character.
Web Links
Angle: A Journal of Arts and Culture
http://www.anglemagazine.org/articles/Bird_on_the_Fly_2230.asp
An article published in Angle critiquing Bird.
Ohio Reading Road Trip: Angela Johnson
http://www.ohioreadingroadtrip.org/johnson/
This site has a biography of Angela Johnson.
Patricia M. Newman: Angela Johnson
http://www.patriciamnewman.com/johnsona.html
Site includes a brief biography of Angela Johnson, a list of her books and her contact information.
Tracie Vaughn Zimmer’s Teacher’s Guide
http://www.tracievaughnzimmer.com/Bird.htm
This teacher’s guide includes a collection of discussion and comprehension questions for Bird. It also has curriculum-related activities for language, technology, music, art, and social studies.
Visiting Authors: Angela Johnson
http://www.visitingauthors.com/printable_pages/johnson_angela_print_info.html
This site includes a biography of Angela Johnson, plus information about her books and her school presentations, including how to get Angela Johnson to visit your school or library.
