Of a Feather

De: Dayna Lorentz

Narrado por: Stephanie Willing, Pete Cross

Great horned owl Rufus is eight months old and still can’t hunt. When his mother is hit by a car, he discovers just how dangerous the forest can be.

Reenie has given up on adults and learned how to care for herself - which is a good thing since she’s been sent to live with an aunt she’s never met. Yet this aunt has a wonderful secret: She’s a falconer who agrees to help Reenie catch an injured passage hawk in the wild and rehabilitate it.

When Reenie traps bedraggled Rufus, his eyes lock onto her heart, and they form a powerful friendship. But can Rufus learn to trust in the outside world and fly free? And can Reenie open her heart enough to truly soar?

©2021 Dayna Lorentz (P)2021 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Beautifully intertwined tales of rehabilitation

Lorentz does a beautiful job of weaving together the story of a young girl, Reenie, whose mother isn’t able to care for her and a young owl, Rufus, who isn’t able to care for himself. I appreciated that the author dealt with the mother’s mental illness with grace and understanding. She beautifully balanced the impact of separation and uncertainty on Reenie with the story of Rufus’ rehabilitation and ultimately the rehabilitation of all stories characters. I initially thought I’d start listening with my child to get them
interested and instead had to beg them not to listen ahead (although I know she was reading ahead in the book). The dual narration which alternated the chapters contributed to a lovely read.

Charming and informative

This is one of the best animal-themed middle grade books I’ve read this year—or at all. The chapters from the owl’s perspective are unique, and Rufus makes for a very engaging narrator. His story and the girl’s story dovetail, logistically and thematically, in fascinating ways. Facts about raptors are woven in seamlessly without impacting the pace. A rich cast of human and avian characters, all with compelling emotional arcs, are brought to life by the excellent narration. The story would make a wonderful movie – in some ways it reminded me of the Rio movies from a few years ago. The issues raised in the story, from hunting to the foster care system to mental health issues to bird rehabilitation, will give all kinds of readers plenty of ways to connect to the story. Looking forward to more books by this author!