Bird Boy (Paperback)
Out of Print
Description
All his life, Chang has not been able to speak. The only sounds he can make are the squawks and caws of the cormorants his father trains for fishing. Chang loves the birds, and is thrilled when he is finally old enough to help raise a cormorant chick. But this is more challenging than Chang expects, for in the process he must learn hard lessons about untrustworthy friends and what it really means to prove himself.
Elizabeth Starr Hill's poignant story, set on the Li River in southern China, is accompanied by the evocative illustrations of Taiwanese artist Lesley Liu.
About the Author
Elizabeth Starr Hill is the author of many books for young readers, including Chang and the Bamboo Flute, an NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, on which she collaborated with Lesley Liu. She lives in Winter Park, Florida.
Lesley Liu lives in Taipei, Taiwan.
Praise for Bird Boy…
"Chang, mute from birth but able to imitate bird sounds, is thrilled when his father, a cormorant fisherman, decides he's old enough to help with the "Big Catch," a night when thousands of fish gather in one particular spot on the Li River in southern China. Chang does so well that he is then allowed to help raise a cormorant chick. When a local bully, Jinan, steals it, Chang must stand up for himself and rescue the bird...This novella will capture the imagination and curiosity of young readers."--Kirkus Reviews
"An excellent little novel."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Chang lives on a houseboat on China's Li River with his parents and their cormorants, great black birds trained to dive and retrieve fish for their owners. Though he has been mute since birth, he can make sounds the birds understand. Through short chapters and simple sentences, the author traces the boy's growth as he helps his father during a night catch, copes with
a bully named Jinan, and makes friends with Jinan's sister."--School Library Journal
"Youngsters, especially those with disabilities, will strongly identify with Chang, and Lesley Liu's detailed drawings capture the flavor of the Chinese landscape."--Booklist
"A fascinating glimpse into another world."--Riverbank Review
"Highly recommended."--Library Talk
"Affecting."--Publishers Weekly
