Book review of "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan

Homeless Bird is about a thirteen-year-old girl in India named Koli. Her family is too poor to feed her anymore, so they go with what is to them the obvious solution: marry her off to someone who will have the money to care for her. Koli is told they have found a suitable match, but she does not meet her future husband until the wedding day. She quickly discovers that her new husband has a fatal illness. Soon, he dies, and Koli is left a widow in a culture that treats widows not much better then animals. But Koli is not about to be beaten down by the cold, hard laws of tradition. Join her on a journey in which she not only prevails against adversity, but discovers true love.

I enjoyed this book so much I read it in one day. The theme of many of the books I like best is about a character who must battle against enormous odds such as culture and come out the victor. Much of the time such stories, like Homeless Bird, are sad or even tragic, but also heartwarming. Though the story does not began in the most uplifting of settings, the character does not allow this to control the rest of their lives. In the ensuing struggles, they most often discover a courage inside of themselves they did not know existed.

Inspirations 4 Writing

• The theme of a battle with adversity is often very memorable. What about Koli’s own battle sticks with you the most?
•  Try to write a story in a way that is as memorable as Homeless Bird. Be inspired by how Gloria Whelan connects you in a very real way with her character. Analyze what makes you feel this way about Koli. Attempt to create characters as life-like and relatable as Koli.