So sweet! I enjoyed seeing New York during the latter years of the Great Depression. Joe Louis and his role in the black community, and for America, during these years was captured with such innocence. It was such a moving experience seeing the events through these three kids. It reads fast, you'll want to spend so much time with these characters, but the pacing and development is very suitable for adolescent readers. Pinkney crafts an unforgettable story that's for sure going to be a classic in children's literature for years to come. As the author herself writes, "Bird in a Box is mostly a book about the power of the human spirit, and how one man's triumph brought glory to so many people" (p. 265). The man she is referring to is former heavyweight boxing world champion Joseph Louis Barrow (also known as Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber). Set in the 1930s in New York State, the hopes and dreams of three children, each burdened with a serious problem, are tied to the boxer and his struggle to win the world championship. Their story will break your heart; their determination and spirit in spite of their challenges, touch and mend your heart again. Good historical fiction always ends with a detailed author's note for me, providing some more information on the people, places and times mentioned in the book. Bird in a Box is a fantastic example of what this should look and read like.
What do You think about Bird In A Box (2011)?
A little too preachy historical kid fiction for my taste.
—filagree
