Homeless Bird

Rating:
Summary: Realities of Arranged Marriage
Review: Many of the readers' reviews in Homeless Bird emphasize the excellent story and the heroine's talent that saves from her imposed fate. These aspects are important gifts from this book.

However, arranged marriage is often rationalized as a protection for women. A bride becomes part of a wealthier family because she brings the husband's family a dowry. She occupies a securely married status because if anything happens to her husband, his closest male relative will marry her. She is permanently in this family because to return to her parents' household brings shame on both families. Homeless Bird shatters each one of these rationalizations for arranged marriage. Koly becomes totally unprotected, and readers learn that cultural practices can have frightening realities - a major contribution of this absorbing life story.

Rating:
Summary: Fifteen and on her own: Homeless Bird
Review: I think Homeless Bird, by Gloria Whelan, is an interesting book with a captivating plot. Koly is a 13-year-old who is forced into marriage with a boy who has tuberculosis who has a mean mother. When her new husband dies, she is forced to live with her cruel mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law abandons her in the City of Widows when she is only 15, and Koly has to worry about money and even where her next place to sleep will be. A kind woman named Maa Kamala takes her into her Widows House, and helps her make money and get a job. She is very good at embroidery, so she gets a new job at a store owned by Mr. Das who is very kind to her and pays her fairly. I would recommend this book to young adults because I think the author makes the reader feel like they can really relate to Koly's emotions and she also makes the reader feel like they can realize how difficult it was to be a young widow in their culture. In one part, Koly's "Sass", which is what she calls her mother-in-law, gives her 50 rupees, which is only worth about a dollar and a few cents, and tells her to go buy food. Koly has never had that much money, so she sets off to buy some food. She goes back to look for Sass but Sass has left for her brother's house, where Koly is unwanted. So Koly is left with about a dollar to survive, is only 15 years old, and the author really explains what Koly thinks about and what she is concerned about. In another part, Koly is approached by a man who tries to take her to his home and rape her. She escapes, but it makes you realize how frightening it would be on your own. I think that this is a story that captivates you and is descriptive of how Koly actually feels. Some might disagree with me and say the story is boring and slow and I can relate on some level. The plot really only unfolds about two chapters into the book. Also, there are some parts in the book when there is a lot of information that isn't relevant to the story. Even though the book has a few low points, I still think that the plot and the emotions described in the story make up for the slower parts. I think that Homeless Bird is a book that is worth reading because it has a great plot and many characters with realistic traits.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite book ever.. even though I am her grandaughter :)
Review: Gloria Whelan is my favorite author! She also happens to be my grandmother! This is by far my favorite book that she has written. I did notice that Amazon fails to point out that about 3 weeks ago "Homeless Bird" won the National Book Award for Children's Literature! This is a huge honor, arguably the highest a book can recieve. The addition of the category "Children's Literature" is pretty new to the Awards, but a wonderful addition. This is a wonderful book for all ages.. I'm 15 and I loved it! It is a story of overcoming hardships, and gives the reader a detailed view of life in India. I give it 6 stars!

Rating:
Summary: Lovely Book
Review: I really enjoyed this book. The story was simple and interesting. I think it is best for ages 10-14.

It's really nice to see a book set in India, and especially a book with this level of realism. I was able to "see" the India that I have experienced, its good and its bad. India is much more "intense" than the reader may experience, but I think the detail level is just perfect for this audience.

The cover design is simply beautiful!

That said, several of the other reviews give away too much of the plot, so read carefully...

Rating:
Summary: Best Book I Ever Read!
Review: I loved this book and you will too. I loved the details and there is a fairy tale ending (sort-of). I will read this book over and over again. I have not been interested in reading many books over and over again. If any of you have read this book and know of any other book like this one please e-mail me at [e-mail]. Thank You. Hope you like the book

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!
Review: And I plan to buy it when it comes out in paper back! :-D

Koly is 13 and is married off to a boy who is supposedly 16. However, her husband is really only 13 or 14, and very ill, which is why his parents needed the dowry money. After her husband dies and her stepmother deserts her in a city full of widows, a boy there takes pity on her and takes her to a house for widows. Koly eventually marries the boy and lives happily ever after.

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Written Story!
Review: I work in a children's book store and have read many children's books. This book is by far one of my favorites for this age level. The story is moving and Whelan really has a talent for making her charaters come alive with her wonderful description and dialogue. I was impressed and moved by this book -- what can I say, I'm a sucker for these type of endings. I strongly reccomend this book!

Rating:
Summary: Simple, moving story
Review: Koly, a 13 year old Indian girl with a gift for embroidery, is forced into an arranged marriage by her parents. When she arrives at her new husband's house to live, however, she learns that he is a sick boy, and that his parents chose her as his bride only in order to use the dowry money to transport their son to the healing waters of a sacred river. When he dies and she is left with her in-laws, Koly begins to yearn for her own life, and only because of her stepmother's cruely is she able to escape tradition and pursue her own dreams. As a high school librarian, I may struggle to find readers for this story, which is rather simple and lacking in the tension and subplotting that often makes for rich, mature reading. However, the theme of escaping and following one's own dreams may appeal to some students, and as always, relationships in other cultures often interest young adult readers.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully descriptive and engaging
Review: I think this is one of the best stories that I have read in a long time. I felt as if I were taken to a far away place, a place where the sights and sounds of another country blend with great beauty. The story of this young girl and her strength kept drawing me inward and deep into her life and I found myself not wanting to leave her, or her story. A wonderful book for both girls and boys.

Rating:
Summary: a review for a wonderful book
Review: homeless bird is an extremely good book.Gloria Whelan has done a really good job.i can imagine how hard she worked for this book and i'm sure i would love to read the full book.and you may be sure that i am gonna force my father to buy this very good book because i love it and i like it.words cannot describe what a good book this really is.