A 2008 Newbery Honor Book
Hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all - Emily Dickinson
"I guess the writer was thinking about how light feathers are and they can just float everywhere. And I guess that's how hope is too--all light and everywhere like that. There's hope in this house. And at your church. And at OnePeople. At our school. Across the highway and on this side too. Everywhere."
- quote from Feathers
Eleven-year-old Frannie is wondering about hope. Her mother has experienced two miscarriages but is pregnant again. Her sister Lila died as a baby. Her older brother Sean is deaf. Her grandmother and best friend Samantha are very spiritual and religious. To top it all off, there is a new boy in class - the only white boy in a school of African-Americans - who the bully Trevor picks on and calls "Jesus."
This novella is too slow and subtle for my taste, and yet I also think it borders on being preachy. But there is still plenty to like about it! I like how it is a story about family. I like the poetic main character Frannie and the other characters. I especially like how Feathers explores "looking beneath the surface" of people and the many shapes, sizes, and colors of hope. This book left me feeling more compassionate towards other people and, yes, it left me feeling hopeful about, well, everything. :)
Tarie's "feathers" (at the risk of bordering on being preachy myself):
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Hope is the thing with feathersthat perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all - Emily Dickinson
"I guess the writer was thinking about how light feathers are and they can just float everywhere. And I guess that's how hope is too--all light and everywhere like that. There's hope in this house. And at your church. And at OnePeople. At our school. Across the highway and on this side too. Everywhere."
- quote from Feathers
Eleven-year-old Frannie is wondering about hope. Her mother has experienced two miscarriages but is pregnant again. Her sister Lila died as a baby. Her older brother Sean is deaf. Her grandmother and best friend Samantha are very spiritual and religious. To top it all off, there is a new boy in class - the only white boy in a school of African-Americans - who the bully Trevor picks on and calls "Jesus."
This novella is too slow and subtle for my taste, and yet I also think it borders on being preachy. But there is still plenty to like about it! I like how it is a story about family. I like the poetic main character Frannie and the other characters. I especially like how Feathers explores "looking beneath the surface" of people and the many shapes, sizes, and colors of hope. This book left me feeling more compassionate towards other people and, yes, it left me feeling hopeful about, well, everything. :)
Tarie's "feathers" (at the risk of bordering on being preachy myself):
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Comments
Do you have any other great YA lit books to recommend? As though I don't have enough on my reading list already!
It is so cool that you are teaching your sons sign language! I enjoyed the jive talk in Feathers. *giggle
Ari (Baking and Books)