BIRD

The lives of three emotionally damaged children intersect in serendipitous ways in this quietly lyrical novel. Readers Hosein (Bird), Palmer (Ethan), and Pavich (Jay) are well cast, sensitively conveying each character. Thirteen-year-old Bird has gone in pursuit of the stepfather who left suddenly; Ethan, the stepfather's lonely nephew, is coming to terms with a new life in the wake of his heart transplant; and Jay is grieving the loss of his brother, who is, it turns out, the donor of Ethan's heart. The plot may sound contrived, but the characters are complex and their emotions, genuine and compelling. Further, the performances of the talented young actors pull it all together into a moving story. E.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE/JULY 05]