by Wendelin Van Draanen
In her most incisive and insightful book yet, Wendelin Van Draanen, award-winning author of The Running Dream and Flipped, offers a remarkable portrait of a girl who has hit rock bottom, but begins a climb back to herself at a wilderness survival camp in the desert.
3:47 a.m. That's when they come for Wren Clemmens. She's hustled out of her house and into a waiting car, then a plane, and then taken on a forced march into the desert. This is what happens to kids who've gone so far off the rails, their parents don't know what to do with them anymore. This is wilderness therapy camp. Eight weeks of survivalist camping in the desert. Eight weeks to turn your life around. Yeah, right.
The Wren who arrives in the Utah desert is angry and bitter, and blaming everyone but herself. But angry can't put up a tent. And bitter won't start a fire. Wren's going to have to admit she needs help if she's going to survive.
"Featuring evocative descriptions of landscape and psychological insight into a troubled teen, Van Draanen's story is engrossing and inspiring. " - Publishers Weekly
"A hopeful novel that demonstrates that people can change. Give to readers who enjoy survivalist tales." - School Library Journal
"A memorable book about family, friendship, forgiveness, and second chances." - Kirkus Reviews
"I read Wild Bird in one long mesmerized gulp. Wren will break your heartand then mend it." - Nancy Werlin, National Book Award finalist for The Rules of Survival
"An exhilarating story of survival and second chances." - Dana Reinhardt, author of Tell Us Something True
"Wild Bird grabbed me by the wrist on page oneit's riveting." - Jenny Hubbard, author of And We Stay, a Printz Honor Book
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Wendelin Van Draanen is the author of many beloved and award-winning books. For middle graders, she's written The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones, Swear to Howdy, and the Sammy Keyes mystery series. For teens and tweens, there's Flipped, The Running Dream, Confessions of a Serial Kisser, and Runaway. And for younger readers, check out the Shredderman quartet and the Gecko and Sticky series. Wendelin Van Draanen lives in central California with her husband and two sons. Find her on the Web at WendelinVanDraanen.com
Dictators ride to and fro on tigers from which they dare not dismount. And the tigers are getting hungry.
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