Rating: 
Summary: An unauthentic, idealized portrayal of homelessness
Review: A little boy and his father live at the airport, striving at every moment not to be noticed. The boy describes to the reader how they survive at the airport revealing the subculture of many "airport regulars" making their homes in the airport. The boy gets jealous of the people greeting each other, but takes inspiration from a bird trapped in the terminal who found his way home. The watercolor illustrations depict the action of the story in soft and somber in shades of blue and brown.
There's an irony that the object of the father and son is not to be noticed and the effect of the book on its readers should be to raise consciousness of the issue of homelessness. The line, "Not to be noticed is to look like nobody at all," is the most evocative, reminding us that identity is subsumed in homelessness and that as individuals they are invisible and not valued.
However, the end of the story turns a bit preachy and the story of the bird is very sentimental - there's no subtlety in the treatment of the issue. Of course in this age of airport security, the book is very dated. Was airport homelessness ever common enough for this to be an authentic representation of the issue? The setting and the characterizations present an idealized, almost contented view of the homeless.
Rating: 
Summary: Uncommon, but with a real moral core
Review: An interesting book. The plot follows a boy and his father as they make a life for themselves, living in an airport in 1991. The boy draws hope from their situation by seeing a bird escape the airport itself and take wing. The book's stark realism has many similarities to the more recent picture book, "Visiting Day", in which a little girl goes to visit her father in prison. I don't know if this specific genre of book has a name. Picture realism, perhaps. "Fly Away Home" has often been attacked as "depressing" and not appropriate for children. And admittedly, I do wonder how popular it is with the kiddies. I don't see little children fighting to be the first one to be read this one before bedtime. But this isn't to say it's a bad book. Quite the contrary. The writing and pictures are well done and the plot is informative. In my opinion, kids who've suffered homelessness themselves will connect with the narrator of the story. Those kids who haven't, may find the idea of living in an airport fun. The book really serves, however, as a way to teach our children about homelessness and how those people who suffer from it shouldn't be shunned from society itself. Should you chose to show this book to your kids, you may wish to tell them how this story could never be written today (what with our heightened airport security). A fine well-written book.
Rating:
Summary: Uncommon, but with a real moral core
Review: An interesting book. The plot follows a boy and his father as they make a life for themselves, living in an airport in 1991. The boy draws hope from their situation by seeing a bird escape the airport itself and take wing. The book's stark realism has many similarities to the more recent picture book, "Visiting Day", in which a little girl goes to visit her father in prison. I don't know if this specific genre of book has a name. Picture realism, perhaps. "Fly Away Home" has often been attacked as "depressing" and not appropriate for children. And admittedly, I do wonder how popular it is with the kiddies. I don't see little children fighting to be the first one to be read this one before bedtime. But this isn't to say it's a bad book. Quite the contrary. The writing and pictures are well done and the plot is informative. In my opinion, kids who've suffered homelessness themselves will connect with the narrator of the story. Those kids who haven't, may find the idea of living in an airport fun. The book really serves, however, as a way to teach our children about homelessness and how those people who suffer from it shouldn't be shunned from society itself. Should you chose to show this book to your kids, you may wish to tell them how this story could never be written today (what with our heightened airport security). A fine well-written book.
Rating: 
Summary: A thoughtful story
Review: I have a very good friend who has been homeless in Boston for several years (after years of struggling to pay the rent on a low-wage income, he lost his job and slipped through the cracks. He has become a writer, guest lecturer, artist and advocate for the homeless but he remains homeless himself). On nights that he isn't able to housesit for us or sleep on our couch (or the couches of other friends), he still spends many a night at the South Station bus terminal (and on many other nights, has been told to leave, although (like the father and son in this book) he tries to go unnoticed. He dresses in clean casual clothes, carries a few well-kept bags and sleeps - or tries to - sitting up on a bench.
When I happened upon this story at the library, it struck a deep chord in me. I will be buying it for my homeless friend because I know he will find hope in it and will be able to incorporate it into his advocacy work. I think it would be a wonderful tool for any curriculum teaching about poverty and homelessness to young schoolchildren. I will also buy it for my 17-month-old daughter and save it for when she is old enough to understand.
As one other reviewer mentioned, the book is somewhat dated but only because in this post-September 11 world, no one could get away with living at the airport and doing the things these characters do (like carry people's luggage, etc.) But in every other way, this memorable story offers a stark, yet hopeful, look at homelessness through the eyes of a child.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting story, but not for little kids.
Review: I liked the book. It was beautifully illustrated, and the story was very well written. I got the sense that the author actually went out and talked to homeless people who live in an airport or bus depot to find out what their lives are like.The idea is to get youngsters to think about kids less fortunate than themselves, but at the same time the book isn't [too] preachy. I'm not so certain that little kids will understand the message of the book. To think that they will, and magically turn into advocates for the homeless, as well as other aspects of the writing, smacks of political correctness (that is, taking a good idea and going way too far with it). I got the feeling at the end of this book that the kid would not be alright. Despite the hopeful ending, his future is extremely uncertain and he could wind up very socially maladjusted. The uncertainty and the lack of a resolution to his plight will surely upset younger readers, used to "happily ever after" type of stories. But for older kids, this book may have serious value.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful Message
Review: I really like this book, even though the topic is homelessness. It certainly seems that the author really looked into the subject --her details are really interesting (for example, the child and his father wear blue because people don't notice blue and the more inconspicuous they are, the better). "Fly Away Home" creates a mood--and if you're interested in letting your children feel a tiny bit of the despair that less fortunate children feel, go for it. After all, you can hug your kids and discuss this book as you go along! I do feel that some of the other reviewers here are unaware that there are two age categories for children's picture books--4 to 8, and 8 to 12. I would say that this book falls in the latter category. Yes, a very bright six year old could sit through the brief text and come away with the message (homelessness=scary+sad), but they probably don't have the capabilities to really use the information and feelings yet. I would say this is a book to read aloud to say, a fourth grade class, when children really need to start considering social issues and things beyond their little world. If you're one of these people who only wants books about happy bunnies, this is NOT for you. If you feel that your children can't take the "mixed messages" given by the image of airport security being scary to this homeless child, and you just can't take the time to explain to him/her that law enforcement is not a bad thing, then don't pick this book up. If you don't want your child to feel any compassion for people because you just don't want to make him/her "sad," then for goodness sakes, skip this and every other meaningful book in the bookstore.
Rating:
Summary: Somber story, great discussion starter...not for everyone!
Review: I really like this book, even though the topic is homelessness. It certainly seems that the author really looked into the subject --her details are really interesting (for example, the child and his father wear blue because people don't notice blue and the more inconspicuous they are, the better). "Fly Away Home" creates a mood--and if you're interested in letting your children feel a tiny bit of the despair that less fortunate children feel, go for it. After all, you can hug your kids and discuss this book as you go along! I do feel that some of the other reviewers here are unaware that there are two age categories for children's picture books--4 to 8, and 8 to 12. I would say that this book falls in the latter category. Yes, a very bright six year old could sit through the brief text and come away with the message (homelessness=scary+sad), but they probably don't have the capabilities to really use the information and feelings yet. I would say this is a book to read aloud to say, a fourth grade class, when children really need to start considering social issues and things beyond their little world. If you're one of these people who only wants books about happy bunnies, this is NOT for you. If you feel that your children can't take the "mixed messages" given by the image of airport security being scary to this homeless child, and you just can't take the time to explain to him/her that law enforcement is not a bad thing, then don't pick this book up. If you don't want your child to feel any compassion for people because you just don't want to make him/her "sad," then for goodness sakes, skip this and every other meaningful book in the bookstore.
Rating: 
Summary: A Disturbing Book That May Confuse Young Children
Review: I was so shocked by the content of this book and that it was available to Kindergarten age children, by the end I was actually laughing because I could not believe it to be real. As I read this library book to my children (three boys ages 3, 5, and 6), my five year old asked in tears, "Why do some mommies die before boys go to school?" My six year old wondered why if police were our friends, why was the boy in the story afraid of them and trying to hide from them in disguises. Daily donuts for a meal, a dead mom, a loser of a dad who abandons his 6-year old son daily at an airport to be left with virtual strangers, disguises from security, hygiene in a public bathroom, and a little boy who responds with physical violence at the happiness of others. Oh, boy, let's all line up for lessons in value from Eve Bunting. Sure, a parent can reason to the conclusion she was leading us toward, that there is hope for everyone, and sure it may have some redeeming value, but, please, it is way too deep for young children who may only find confusion and disturbing conclusions from such a book. I understand the topic is real and I know the underlying issues are all very real and I do recognize the necessity to make our children aware of the world around them. Some children may have it within them to find the message of hope here, but I feel it is not worth the risk of filling their hearts and minds with what I found to be disturbing images. I have three very intelligent children who needed some comforting explanations to get past this premise. If you find it necessary to teach your children about the less fortunate, please find a less threatening manner in which to do so.
Rating:
Summary: REALITY
Review: My 5yr. old and I read this book together. My husband is a pilot for a major airline and we fly quite often with our children. I have always told my children about children who are less fortunate than them. I want them to see reality. This was the perfect book to show that. It was hard for me to read (had to hold back the tears) but I welcomed questions after we finished. They need to be aware such things do happen in our society.
Rating: 
Summary: It will make you think about homeless people's feelings.
Review: My name is Sydney and I am seven. I think that the story was a little disturbing and a little good. I like the ending because he talks about the bird. I think its a little interesting but not that much. I think it was neat that the little boy lived in airport and he bathed in a public bathroom. It made me feel a little sad because the boy was homeless.
|
