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Summary
Summary
Get lost in a sweeping middle-grade adventure following Rype, an abandoned girl in fourteenth-century Europe, as she walks from Norway to England looking for safety from the plague.
Her name was Rype. That wasn't really her name. It was what the strangers called her. She didn't remember her real name. She didn't remember anything at all.
Rype was hiding in the hollow of a tree trunk when they found her. She was hungry, small, cold, alone. She did not speak their language, or understand their mannerisms. But she knew this: To survive, she would have to go with them.
In fourteenth-century Norway, the plague has destroyed the entire village of Skeviga. To stay alive, Rype, the only one left, must embark on a sweeping adventure across Europe with the son of an English ship captain and a band of troubadours in search of a brighter future and a new home.
Expertly crafted, beautifully written, and completely unique, Diane Zahler has created a historically rich, stunning story of survival and hope in the face of tragedy.
Praise for Wild Bird
*A Junior Library Guild Selection*
"Something special. Don't miss it." - Karen Cushman, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Midwife's Apprentice and Newbery Honor-winning Catherine, Called Birdy
"A quick-paced treasure." - Donna Jo Napoli, author of In a Flash
"A deeply moving tribute to the power of art and memory." - Laurel Snyder, author of My Jasper June and National Book Award longlist Orphan Island
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 6--8--Zahler's novel offers a glimpse into the bubonic plague, the pandemic that rocked Europe in the 14th century. Owen rescues 12-year-old Rype who was hiding in a hollow tree trunk and realizes she must have been a survivor from a Norwegian village decimated by "the sickness," as it is referred to in the book. Rype begins a new life and adventure with Owen, starting on the North Sea, carrying them through part of the Holy Roman Empire and to the Kingdom of France. The two join a merry band of troubadours traveling around singing for room and board who also provide companionship and protection. Rype knows she has no family to return to in Norway and seems happy to follow Owen home to England to rejoin his mother and sister. Along the way the group encounters perilous situations readers might find shocking but were, in fact, normal facets of living during the Middle Ages. Each chapter begins with a flashback to Rype's life with her family in her Norwegian village running parallel to the narrative. Zahler's research is obvious with her diction; there are words and phrases readers will need to use context clues to decipher. Rype and Owen's affection for each other is an underlying current and could provide enough tension to keep a reluctant reader invested. Furthermore, personal connections with recent COVID-19 experiences might allow for interesting discussion in a group setting. VERDICT A great addition to any middle grade historical fiction collection.--Kim Gardner
Publisher's Weekly Review
Zahler (Goblin Market) transports readers to 14th-century Europe during the height of the black plague in this searing novel for fans of gritty historical fare. When a girl is found cowering in a hollow tree in Norway, she has sparse clothing, no food, and no memories, including of her name. Coaxed out of her hiding spot by British shipmaster's son Owen, and called Rype--or Wild Bird--by his father, she joins them at sea. Interstitials recall the tragedy that preceded these events, and primarily first-person narration details Rype's subsequent experiences wandering the European countryside with Owen and a band of troubadours. Yet the plague follows close behind, perpetually threatening the found family with violence, suspicion, and death, and Rype realizes that it is just one of many dangers on the road. Zahler unflinchingly depicts a world in chaos due to disease, drawing contemporary parallels and thoughtfully highlighting issues of power structures, collective trauma, and remembrance. While deep bonds are formed throughout the telling, Rype's processing her grief and finding her purpose form the character-forward story's core, making for a novel of strength and vulnerability that will appeal particularly to readers of The Book of Boy and Northwind. Characters default to white. An end note provides additional historical context. Ages 8--12. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Mar.)
Booklist Review
Traumatized Rype is rescued by Owen and his father, captain of the St. Nicholas. Though she can't remember her given name, she does recall a Norwegian fishing community where everyone (including all her family) perished from the Sickness. Unfortunately, the bubonic plague also comes to the ship, and after Owen's father succumbs, the two children are cast out to fend for themselves. Determined to find a way back to Owen's English family, they join forces with a group of troubadours for company and protection. Set in fourteenth-century Europe during the Black Death and the Hundred Years' War, this story offers much that will intrigue contemporary readers: a deadly plague that attacks without warning, a religious hierarchy that sometimes abuses its power, and an appealing heroine searching for her place in the world. Short, italicized sections that disclose snippets of Rype's past are interspersed between chapters, revealing much about life and customs in medieval Europe. While descriptions of plague deaths, witch burnings, and LGBTQ prejudices will disturb some, Rype's journey and ultimate success are heartwarming.