Be Light Like a Bird
“Be Light Like a Bird” by Monika Schröder is one of the most amazing books we’ve ever read. From it’s cover to the topic to every wonderful page, everything about this book is simply beautiful, and we were so lucky to receive an advance copy from our friends at Capstone. From the very first page, this sad, yet touching story draws you in, breaks your heart, and then puts it all back together again.
“Be Light Like a Bird” deals with grief and loss in such a subtle and delicate way and we were truly blown away by how much we fell in love with this little book.
At the beginning of the story, it seems like Wren’s life will never be the same. While Wren is trying to understand her loss, deal with her sadness, and learn more about the father she loved so deeply, her mother only seems to be angry, detached, and avoiding the topic completely. To make matters worse, her mother packs up all their belongings into their dad’s old car and drives across the country and Wren is forced to leave the life she knows behind her. As they drive from place to place trying to figure out where to live, Wren and her mother struggle to get along and their relationship begins to fall apart during a time they should really need each other the most. Wren doesn’t understand why her mom seems more interested in throwing away all of her father’s things or going out on dates with new men so soon after losing her husband.
Being the new girl in town and the new girl in school isn’t easy, especially when you’ve lost your father. Wren befriends one of the most popular girls in her class, hoping that living a life different than the one she’s used to will help her heal. If she’s cool enough to hang with Carrie, then she won’t be the girl with no father or the girl who buries roadkill and loves birdwatching – something she’s been clinging to during this hard time. Wren and her father used to love bird watching together, and they even kept detailed journals filled with facts, doodles, and all sorts of information about their findings. When Wren is paired up with the class nerd, Theo, on a school project, she’s reluctant to let him in despite the glaringly obvious connection between them.
We’re going to stop there – we don’t wait to spoil anything for you, because this is a book that everyone absolutely should read for themselves. Even if you’ve never experienced a loss of your own, Wren’s struggle with fitting in, fighting for what you believe in, secrets, and forgiveness are enough to keep you interested. Wren is so strong during a time when she’s also so fragile, and we just absolutely adore her as a character. As she struggles with understanding her loss, she realizes that not everyone handles things in the same way – which is such an important lesson to learn in life, especially at such a young age. The minute we finished the book, we knew we’d be reading it again and again in the future, and we hope you guys love it as much as we did.
“Be Light Like a Bird” is now available, so head on over to your favorite bookstore, grab a copy, snuggle up under your favorite blanket, and have yourself a reading day! For even more of our favorite reads, click here!
