Bird

Nothing matters. Only Bird matters. And he flew away. Jewel never knew her brother Bird, but all her life she has lived in his shadow. Her parents blame Grandpa for the tragedy of their family's past; they say that Grandpa attracted a malevolent spirit - a duppy - into their home. Grandpa hasn't spoken a word since. Now Jewel is twelve, and she lives in a house full of secrets. Jewel is sure that no one will ever love her like they loved Bird, until the night that she meets a mysterious boy in a tree. Grandpa is convinced that the boy is a duppy, but Jewel knows that he is something more. And that maybe the time has come to break through the stagnant silence of the past. Entrenched secrets, mysterious spirits, and an astonishing friendship weave together in this extraordinary and haunting debut. Crystal Chan grew up as a mixed-race kid in the Wisconsin cornfields. She now lives in Chicago. As well as a writer, she is also a professional storyteller and performer. Bird is her first novel. ' Bird is a mysterious, lyrical, and thought-provoking novel from an important new voice in children's literature.' Kathi Appelt, author of The Underneath , Newbery Honour Book and National Book Award Finalist 'Crystal Chan has written an enthralling first novel about the darkness, light and beauty that make up the human condition.' Cynthia Kadohata, author of Newbery-winner Kira Kira Jewel never knew her brother Bird, who died the day she was born, but all her life she has lived in his shadow. Her parents blame Grandpa for the tragedy; they say he attracted a malevolent spirit - a duppy - into their home. Grandpa hasn't spoken a word since. Now Jewel is twelve, and she is sure that Bird will haunt them forever - until the night she meets a strange boy in a tree. If she can find out who he is, perhaps she can discover her own identity too Twelve-year-old Jewel was born on the day her brother Bird died and lives in a house of silence and secrets, but a new boy in her Iowa town may help find the answers Jewel wants despite her Jamaican grandfather's warning that he is a "duppy," a malevolent spirit.