Recommended Reading

by FamilyEducation Staff

If you enjoyed Homeless Bird, try these other books:

Catherine, Called Birdy, by Karen Cushman
Recommended Age Range: 10 and up
The 13-year-old daughter of an English country knight keeps a journal in which she records the events of her life, particularly her longing for adventures beyond the usual role of women and her efforts to avoid being married off.

Dave at Night, by Gail Carson Levine
Recommended Age Range: 10 and up
The year is 1926. Dave's beloved father is dead and his stepmother doesn't want him. Only the HHB will take him in -- Hebrew Home for Boys. Dave is a tough troublemaker, and figures he can take care of himself. If he doesn't like the Home, he'll run away and find a better place. Only it's not that simple...

Young Joan, by Barbara Dana
Recommended Age Range: 12 and up
Before she became the legendary Joan of Arc, young Joan lived a simple life as a farm girl in the village of Domremy. Then one day, she dreamed that three saints came to her. The saints give Joan a glorious yet terrible mission -- to reunite her war-torn country and restore its rightful king to the throne. Dutifully, Joan takes up the seemingly impossible tasks. But how, she wonders, can a simple farm girl accomplish such deeds?

Our Only May Amelia, by Jennifer L. Holm
Recommended Age Range: 10 and up
May Amelia Jackson is the only girl ever born on the Nasel River -- a real miracle, her family says. And with seven brothers, she believes it. Sometimes her family treats her like a miracle, and it's just plain maddening. Like when Pappa yells at her for running around the logging camp, or orders her to stay in the house because there's a murderer on the loose.

Once in a while, though, it's good to be treated like a miracle and have a whole family looking after their only May Amelia. Still, what May thinks would be the greatest miracle of all is if the baby in Mamma's belly turned out to be a girl. Will May always be their only miracle, or will the new baby be the little sister she's been hoping for?

Premlata and the Festival of Lights, by Rumer Godden
Recommended Age Range: 7 and up
Premlata can hardly wait for Diwali, the Festival of Lights. On that night, the great Goddess Kali goes out to battle the demons of darkness. And all over India, people set out deepas -- tiny lamps shaped like leaves -- to help Kali in her fight.

But Premlata's family is poor, and Mamoni, her mother, has been forced to sell their deepas. Prem knows she must do something. After all, their house can't be the only one in darkness on the night of the Festival of Lights!