For today's post I turn the LibLaura5 blog over to Monika Schröder, author of Be Light Like a Bird, the moving story of Wren who is trying to find herself in the wake of the sudden loss of her father.
Monika, thank you so much for stopping by my blog to
share about Be Light Like a Bird by finishing
my 5 purple prompts.
Hi Laura, Thank you for inviting me on your blog. I
appreciate the opportunity to talk a bit about BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD.
Grief and hope…play an important role
in BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD. Wren is devastated after the loss of her father and
doesn't understand why her mother acts so distant toward her. She slowly works
through her grief, also with the help of Theo, who himself suffered the loss of
a parent. She is lonely and her mother takes her away from the only home she
knew. But she never looses hope. She makes a plan to convince her mother to stay
in Pyramid, MI and to make it their new home.
Wren... has grown very close to my heart while
I was writing the book. Even though she is grieving the death
of her father she shows a lot of strength. When confronted with the choice of
fitting in with the popular girls or standing up for what she believes in, she
chooses the later. She decides to fight for the sanctuary where she watches
birds and she comes up with creative ways to generate support for this project.
At the end of the story she has formed a new bond with her mother and has found
a new home. I think she is an awesome girl and I hope many readers like her as
much as I do.
 |
| Monika's garden--"since we moved to the US I have become an avid gardener. Gardening, to me, is the perfect supplementary activity to writing." |
Birdwatching… is important to Wren. I love birds, but I am not a serious bird watcher. Wren used to watch birds with her father. Right after his death, she is
not sure if she can continue watching birds, since the activity is so closely
connected to her memory of him, and it was her father who gave her the journal
she notes her bird sightings in. But then, after she and her mother arrive in
northern Michigam, she decides to continue, and when Theo joins her
birdwatching helps the two of them to forge their friendship. Her love for
birdwatching also becomes the catalyst for her getting engaged in a civil
action project to save the bird sanctuary from destruction from the expansion
of a landfill.
Writing books for young readers…is rewarding. I love writing for kids. I hope that some young readers
recognize themselves in my books. In the case of BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD the book
may help a grieving child or may help a girl to stand up against bullies. I
also truly enjoy being part of the supportive community of children's book
writers and teachers and librarians who are getting these books into the hands
of kids. It is a great tribe to belong to.
 |
| Monika with her dog Frank whom she adopted from the streets of India |
Sharing the books we love is another way to share about
ourselves and connect with each other, so my last prompt for you
is...
I've read many great books this year. One book I read and loved recently... was WISH, by Barbara O'Connor, a beautiful story about a girl who finds acceptance and
love in an unexpected place. Charlie, a girl with a temper and an urgent wish,
grows out of her angry shell with the help of her loving aunt, a true friend,
and a stray dog. Young readers will connect to the well-drawn characters on
many levels. WISH provides ample material for classroom discussion, while
leaving kids with the assurance that, even if they feel alone, there is always
hope. O'Connor's hallmark cadence and poignant descriptions of the southern
setting enhance the charm of this book. Lovely all around!
Thank you, Monika!
Find Be Light Like a Bird on...
