BIRDSONG

BIRDSONG by Julie Flett

Changes in life are never easy, no matter the age. As I closed the cover to Julie Flett's Birdsong, I took a minute to reflect over my own life and the good things that have come out of some of the biggest (and hardest) changes. One of those changes was the beginning of this Facebook group. During COVID I lost one of my closest friends. There are only a few in a lifetime that know you inside and out and are willing to get down in the muck with you. She was one of them. She was also my book buddy. Every time we talked we shared about what we were reading. Instead of trying to find a new person to start a book relationship with, I started this group. I enjoy reading the comments you guys leave. I also enjoy running into you all while I'm out and about and stopping to chat about books. My friend will always hold a special place in my heart, but the Lord has allowed my circle to grow.

SPOILER ALERT

Julie Flett's Birdsong takes us through some life changes for a mother and daughter. We don't know if the mother is a single mother, or if a divorce has happened, or a recent death. There's just change. This is manifested in a major move away from a sea of water to a sea of grass. Initially, the girl loses her love of drawing. It is because of this and because of the picture of the mother and daughter sleeping together that I get a vibe that there has been a loss. The book takes us through the seasons of the year. Through these seasons, an elderly neighbor becomes a friend, and life begins again in a new direction. Time is spent together. Memories are made. Art begins again. Then we hit a point where the neighbor becomes sick and is not recovering. The girl makes a special gift of her art to her friend. As she says goodbye to her you wonder if her friend is dying. The book never answers that for us, but as the girl goes back home to her mother she is so thankful for her friendship.

This book is beautiful! Not only are the illustrations soft and muted giving an air of quiet and healing, But the girl and her mother are Cree Indians. Several Cree words are included in the text. There is a glossary for pronunciation on the first page.