Children's Book Review: Nest by Esther Ehrlich

Nest

Author: Esther Ehrlich

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books

Date: September 9, 2014

Length: 338 Pages



About the Author
Amy Ehrlich is the author of more than thirty books for young readers and is also a winner of The Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award for her novel Joyride, which was also chosen Booklist Choice Best Book of the Decade. She lives on a farm in Northern Vermont with her husband and a great many domestic and agricultural animals.

A Coming Of Age Story
Eleven-year-old Naomi Orenstein is nicknamed “Chirp” because of her love of birds and bird-watching. Her sister Rachel and her father are close, and Chirp enjoys a special bond with her mother, a former dancer. The story is set in 1972 on Cape Cod.

Chirp's mother is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (M.S.) and is severely depressed as a result of her illness. Chirp copes with her mother's illness by spending time alone with her beloved birds and befriending a neighbor boy named Joey.

This is a story about a family dealing with severe hardships. Chirp is a survivor and learns the true meaning of friendship and family.

My Thoughts
This was a very emotional book. It was written for middle school students and it deals with problems that many youngsters have probably been sheltered from. These issues included terminal illness of a parent, child abuse, running away from home and suicide.

I believe the author presented this story in a realistic and sensitive manner. This book will make readers understand and appreciate the meaning of the love and devotion of family and friends.

Chirp learned that bad things happen to good people but life goes on. The story illustrates the grieving process and the emotions that are felt by each of the family members. Love never dies.

Highly recommended for middle school students through adults.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.