Recent Reads: Nightbird by Alice Hoffman

Nightbird by Alice Hoffman
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Publication Date:  March 10, 2015

 

Format: Hardback
Source: The Library

Rating:


 


Goodreads Synopsis: 

An enchanting novel from bestselling author Alice Hoffman: a charmed New England village, a family secret, and a friendship destined to defeat a witch.

"Some things could only be found in Sidwell it seemed: pink apples, black owls, and my brother, James."

Twelve-year-old Twig's town in the Berkshires is said to hide a winged beast, the Monster of Sidwell, and the rumors draw as many tourists as the town's famed pink apple orchards. Twig lives in the orchard with her mysterious brother James and her reclusive mother, a baker of irresistible apple pies. Because of a family secret, an ancient curse,Twig has had to isolate herself from other kids. Then a family with two girls, Julia and Agate, moves into the cottage next door. They are descendants of the witch who put the spell on Twig's family. But Julia turns out to be Twig's first true friend, and her ally in trying to undo the curse and smooth the path to true love for Agate and James.

 Review: 
I don't think that I have read any of Alice Hoffman's adult books, but I was very interested in this middle grade one. Nightbird is about a magical town and a monster that lives there and one little girls attempt to save her family, the town and make friends all at the same time. As an adult reading this book I think that it was beautifully written - it is a fun plot with a bunch or twists and it is a little deeper than your average middle grade book. 

Twig or Teresa is our main character and she seems to act a lot wiser than her 12 years - she has a secret to keep and doing that takes a lot of will-power and growing up and she has and does. I think that the author did a wonderful job showing her in that light but also showing her loneliness. 

The overall plot of the book is engaging - there is a monster and a thief and everything sort of gets blown way out of proportion in the town, as it normally does. But the twists are a mystery until they appear and the ending is beautiful.