Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan

Homeless Bird

A National Book Award Winner

Gloria Whelan

HarperCollins · Print & ebook · August 21, 2001

The National Book Award-winning novel about one remarkable young woman who dares to defy fate, perfect for readers who enjoyed A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park or Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai.

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Who it’s for
A young woman’s courage meets the weight of tradition in an accessible, serious historical novel.
Themes
Arranged marriage, Dowry and deception, Forging an independent future
Genres
Historical Asia, Growing Up, Girls & Young Women

About this book

The National Book Award-winning novel about one remarkable young woman who dares to defy fate, perfect for readers who enjoyed A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park or Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai. Like many girls her age in India, thirteen-year-old Koly faces her arranged marriage with hope and courage. But Koly's story takes a terrible turn when in the wake of the ceremony, she discovers she's been horribly misled—her life has been sold for a dowry.

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Can she forge her own future, even in the face of time-worn tradition? Perfect for schools and classrooms, this universally acclaimed, bestselling, and award-winning novel by master of historical fiction Gloria Whelan is a gripping tale of hope that will transport readers of all ages.

A Future Her Own

A young woman’s courage meets the weight of tradition in an accessible, serious historical novel.

Come here for

  • A young woman confronting a life shaped by arranged marriage and dowry
  • Hope and self-determination under the pressure of tradition

Expect

  • A straightforward, immersive story with grave stakes
  • A focus on courage and forging a future

Where it sits

Historical Asia88%
Girls & Young Women54%
Growing Up40%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Survival Stories
  • Family Stories
  • Girls & Young Women
  • Historical Asia
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • Love & First Crushes
  • Growing Up
  • Friendship
  • Homelessness & Poverty
Authors
Gloria Whelan
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
August 21, 2001
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Arranged marriage · Dowry and deception · Forging an independent future
Reading lane
Survival Stories