Sparrow

Sparrow by Brian Kindall is a wondrous middle-grade novel of literary fiction with magical realism. The book description from the publisher describes it best: “Timothy Sperling misses his mom and dad terribly. Left behind with his morose uncle while they're off on an expedition to avert an environmental crisis, the bird-boned boy would give anything to see them again. But when he spies a shooting star, instead of wishing to be reunited with his parents, he falters and asks for snow... only to conjure up a blizzard that won't quit! As a town that never sees winter is buried in mountains of white, Timothy teams up with a wise explorer to figure out how to stop the relentless frozen flakes. And with all the blame being shoveled on his family, the clever kid's connection to sparrows may be his one chance to pull the city out of its deep freeze. Can Timothy undo his fateful wish and bring back the sunshine?”

Timothy Sperling is a wide-eyed and frail boy, so slight that he's like a bird. Appropriately nicknamed Sparrow, he gazes out of his bedroom window, dreaming of somehow reconnecting with his parents. His errant wish upon a falling star unleashes a blizzard on the town of Candela, the likes of which has never been seen before. Not even his miserly Uncle Morris the Morose believes it's snowing, even though the flakes are falling in plain sight. Can Sparrow undo what he has wished for and save his town?

Brian Kindall tells this wonderful tale with beautiful prose, allowing Timothy's wide-eyed observations and exclamations of awe to fill the reader with astonishment. There is a nod toward classic literature in the narration and setting, along with a modern concern for the environment and the creatures that inhabit it. Sparrow occupies a space somewhere between Charles Dickens and Roald Dahl, and I can't think of a more beautiful tale for middle-graders to immerse themselves in. On top of this, the cover is a work of art, a befitting case for a wonderful story.

I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it for middle-grade readers of all ages. I would give this book 5 stars.