Author: Betsy Bird
Genre: historical fiction
Similar books: On Snowden Mountain by Jeri Watts
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher): Twelve-year-old Suzy Bowles is tired of summers filled with chores on her family farm in Burr Oak, Michigan, and desperate to see the world. When her wayward uncle moves back home to the farm, only to skip his chores every morning for mysterious reasons, Suzy decides to find out what he's up to once and for all. And that's when she meets legendary former circus queen Madame Marantette and her ostriches. Before long, Suzy finds herself caught-up in the fast-paced, hilarious world of ostrich riding, a rollicking adventure that just might be her ticket out of Burr Oak.
My opinion: Part of what makes this story successful is that it doesn't try to hard to present complete information. Most of the family are not characters. For the large list of names we meet, only a few are fleshed out. Most people are only briefly present. This allows the plot to focus almost completely on Suzy's experience with the ostriches. It's almost more of a vignette than a complete book. The plot is simple. And while the story lacks the heart or even the message of Charlotte's Web they share a sensibility.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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