Scan barcode
A review by bookishrealm
Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada Kelly
5.0
Whew....grab your tissues for this one. I'm glad that I chose to read Kelly's debut as my first read by her because it makes me excited to see how her writing has progressed in later works. This was such a beautiful story. 4.5 Stars. CW: loss of parent, racial slurs, bullying
Blackbird Fly follows twelve year old Apple who faces the ups and downs of middle school after she is placed on the dog log at school. Not only does Apple consider herself to be different, but she also struggles with the fact that even after moving to the US, her mother still loves too cook Filipino food and doesn't always speak English well. Through a few ups and downs and her love for music, specifically the Beatles, Apple learns to find pride and joy in herself.
What Worked: EVERYTHING. This was such a gut wrenching book for me to read as a mom. There is this small part of me that worries about the troubles my daughter will face once she makes it to middle school. Kids can be cruel at times and readers see that with Apple. From her descriptions of eating carrots because she thought they would fix the slant of her eyes to being considered one of the most unattractive girls at school to being labeled as a dog eater because she's Asian, part of me felt as though Apple just couldn't get a break. But Kelly does this amazing thing where she introduces two additional characters that not only support Apple, but help her rebuild that confidence in herself and pride in her cultural background. Outside of Apple, Evan stole my heart. I remember encountering kids like him throughout my childhood, the ones who don't mind being different and encourage others to be comfortable in their own skin. After Apple "loses" her old friends, it was nice to see that Kelly included characters to give readers that glimpse of joy as Apple begins to see herself differently. This book is also for the music lovers of the world. I really enjoy The Beatles and had no idea that this book was named after their song "Blackbird Fly." There were sections of the book named after their music and I would literally stop reading the book to listen to the song. It was even more rewarding learning more about Apple's connection to their music. She's passionate about their music and learning to play the guitar and doesn't understand why her mother gives her so much pushback against getting her own guitar. The story comes full circle and ends with the most beautiful, heartwarming conclusion.
Overall, this was such a beautiful middle grade book. It definitely will make my favorites of 2023. This is one that a lot of middle grade readers will connect to in special ways. With beautiful writing and extensive character and plot development, this is one that you don't want to miss out on!
Blackbird Fly follows twelve year old Apple who faces the ups and downs of middle school after she is placed on the dog log at school. Not only does Apple consider herself to be different, but she also struggles with the fact that even after moving to the US, her mother still loves too cook Filipino food and doesn't always speak English well. Through a few ups and downs and her love for music, specifically the Beatles, Apple learns to find pride and joy in herself.
What Worked: EVERYTHING. This was such a gut wrenching book for me to read as a mom. There is this small part of me that worries about the troubles my daughter will face once she makes it to middle school. Kids can be cruel at times and readers see that with Apple. From her descriptions of eating carrots because she thought they would fix the slant of her eyes to being considered one of the most unattractive girls at school to being labeled as a dog eater because she's Asian, part of me felt as though Apple just couldn't get a break. But Kelly does this amazing thing where she introduces two additional characters that not only support Apple, but help her rebuild that confidence in herself and pride in her cultural background. Outside of Apple, Evan stole my heart. I remember encountering kids like him throughout my childhood, the ones who don't mind being different and encourage others to be comfortable in their own skin. After Apple "loses" her old friends, it was nice to see that Kelly included characters to give readers that glimpse of joy as Apple begins to see herself differently. This book is also for the music lovers of the world. I really enjoy The Beatles and had no idea that this book was named after their song "Blackbird Fly." There were sections of the book named after their music and I would literally stop reading the book to listen to the song. It was even more rewarding learning more about Apple's connection to their music. She's passionate about their music and learning to play the guitar and doesn't understand why her mother gives her so much pushback against getting her own guitar. The story comes full circle and ends with the most beautiful, heartwarming conclusion.
Overall, this was such a beautiful middle grade book. It definitely will make my favorites of 2023. This is one that a lot of middle grade readers will connect to in special ways. With beautiful writing and extensive character and plot development, this is one that you don't want to miss out on!