MMGM: Wild Wings

I have a delightful book to share with you. Last time I shared about Siobhan Parkinson, an Irish author, and today I’m sharing another author from the UK, Gill Lewis. 
  
I was immediately drawn to this book, because I enjoyed reading the memoir WINGS OF MY FLIGHT: PEREGRINE FALCONS OF CHIMNEY ROCK (Marcy Cottrell Houle). I hoped that WILD WINGS would also give me a glimpse of the magnificent life of wild birds--and I was not disappointed. 

 

Here’s the synopsis from Amazon:

When Callum spots crazy Iona McNair on his family’s sprawling property, she’s catching a fish with her bare hands. She won’t share the fish, but does share something else: a secret.
     She’s discovered a rare endangered bird, an Osprey, and it’s clear to both her and Callum that if anyone finds out about the bird, it, and its species, is likely doomed. Poachers, egg thieves, and wild weather are just some of the threats, so Iona and Callum vow to keep track of the bird and check her migratory progress using the code a preservationist tagged on her ankle, no matter what.
     But when one of them can no longer keep the promise, it’s up to the other to do it for them both. No matter what. Set against the dramatic landscapes of Scotland and West Africa, this is a story of unlikely friendships, the wonders of the wild—and the everyday leaps of faith that set our souls to flight.

 What I loved about WILD WINGS:

--Getting a glimpse of Scottish village life and life on a Scottish farm

--Callum is a realistic in how he deals with pressure from his friends not to hang out with a girl, but then becomes heroic when he stands up for her.

--It took many unexpected turns.I'm glad I didn't read the synopsis beforehand.

--This novel affirms friendships on so many levels. Callum has strong friendships with girls and with his mates. This was refreshing. I see a lot of middle grade with strong boy-girl friendships, but few portrayals of boys as good friends.

--This novel also showed how kids can move the world, influence things, and bring healing and hope (not just to wildlife, but to humans as well).

If you love books about animals or wildlife or nature—you must check out this book!

Have you read any interesting middle grade books lately?

For more Marvelous Middle Grade titles, please see Shannon Messenger's blog. She is the author of KEEPER OF LOST CITIES (MG) series and SKY FALL (YA).