#jmm nuanez

[nbbookwormlesbean]

Birdie and Me

Author: J.M.M. Nuanez

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Audience: Middle Grade

Overall Rating: 5/5

Goodreads

Birdie and Me proves to provide a mixture of levity and seriousness that isn’t often found in novels involving children, whether or not the audience is actually geared towards them. The protagonist, Jack, finds herself caring for her little brother, Birdie, following the seemingly relentless tragedies of their lives. Still young but mature beyond her years after taking the role of mother for Birdie, readers are able to see Jack learn how to trust others as well as find how to just be a kid again. 

What initially drew me to this story was Birdie’s unconventional gender expression. The heavy topic of gender isn’t explicitly discussed often, but Birdie does have to face the negativity found in small towns. Still, he’s determined to continue wearing the clothes he wants to, and Jack is always protective of his expression. It was quite refreshing to have a gender variant child allowed to simply be, without the weight adults sometimes put on kids.

As far as middle grade goes, the length and readability of Birdie and Me is excellent, and I found myself sucked into the family drama and confusion of growing up.

[kathydawsonbooks]

Happy book birthday to BIRDIE AND ME -- a middle grade gem by debut author J.M.M. Nuanez. On shelves now

An emotional and uplifting debut about a girl named Jack and her gender creative little brother, Birdie, searching for the place where they can be their true and best selves. * “This singular story of a grieving and unconventional family belongs alongside Holly Goldberg Sloan’s Counting by 7s, Cindy Baldwin’s Where the Watermelons Grow, and Ali Benjamin’s The Thing about Jellyfish. Highly recommended.”—School Library Journal, starred review

* “This strong, emotional, and engaging read is a must-have for any library. The issues are dealt with realistically and challenge the reader to examine their personal feelings, the various modes for dealing with grief, gender fluidity, and how to appropriately support students in their search for who they truly are. A great coming-of-age story.”—School Library Connection, starred review “Nuanez carefully unfolds a tale of loss, individuality, and community . . . [and] a broken family becoming whole once more. . . . Fans of Jerry Spinelli will flock to Jack and the peculiar residents of her new town and may learn something about acceptance while they’re there.”—BCCB, Recommended “Nuanez’s debut tells an endearing story of family in the wake of tragedy, anchored by the wonderfully loving and supportive relationship between Jack and Birdie. . . . [T]he prose flows seamlessly and the dialogue feels undeniably real.”—Booklist “Sure-handed storytelling . . . [A] strong middle grade debut.”—Publishers Weekly “A beautiful, sensitive story about a sister and brother finding their way through tragedy and grief. Readers will love this eminently satisfying tale; its courageous characters will stay with them long after they turn the last page.”—Patricia Reilly Giff, Newbery Honor author of Lily’s Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods “There is so much tenderness in Jack and Birdie’s story that you will feel like a better person for having read it. Here is book you will want to hug before you put it down. You will want to share it with all your friends. You will especially want to give it to anyone who has ever felt like an island. Then you will open the cover and read it again. I promise.”—Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor winner and National Book Award Finalist “Nuanez’s outstanding debut shines with exceptionally well-drawn characters, all hobbled by one unspeakable loss, and all taking seemingly disparate measures to mend their tattered hearts. BIRDIE AND ME is an absorbing, hope-giving story about family love and acceptance.”—Leslie Connor, author of National Book Award Finalist, The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle “Both hopeful and heartbreaking, Birdie and Me is a tender story about grief, identity, and the beauty and comfort that comes from letting yourself love and be loved. A luminous debut.”—Ashley Herring Blake, author of the Stonewall Honor book, Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World “CJ and I loved Birdie and Me, a heartbreakingly moving story about family, change, creativity, and home. Nuanez captures the tender and tragic aspects of love and loss, grief and growth. It is a much needed and beautifully written story that brings to life a flawed family courageously and carefully navigating loss, learning how to celebrate one another in all their differences. We can’t wait to share it as far and widely as possible.” —Lori Duron, author of Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son “Brimming with heart, humor, and hope, Birdie and Me is a touching exploration of grief, mental illness, and the many beautiful definitions of family.”—Greg Howard, author of The Whispers “Rarely has a sister-brother relationship been portrayed with such tenderness as in Birdie and Me. In her heart-opening debut novel, Nuanez shows how, in the midst of loss and grief, young people can find love and hope and a deep sense of family in the most unexpected ways.”—Ruth Behar, Pura Belpré Award-winning author of Lucky Broken Girl

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