“When I heard that at last a husband had been found for me, I almost ran away. How could I spend the rest of my days with someone I had never met? (p. 6)
Whelan, Gloria. Homeless bird. New York: HarperTrophy. 2000.
Genre: Multicultural
Review:
Koly is thirteen years old when her parents arrange for her to marry a boy she has never seen. The fact that she has never met the boy makes her nervous as does the fact that once she is married she must leave behind her home and her family. She soon discovers that she had good reason to be nervous as her groom isn’t what she or her family had expected. But it is too late to do anything about it and the marriage goes through. Now Koly must live with her husband’s family and her new mother-in-law does not hide her dislike for her. Then things go from bad to worse and Koly must rely on herself to get through all that lies ahead.
This book gives insight into the culture and its traditions and the fact that Koly is a strong female character whose courage and cleverness helps her to better her own situation adds to the appeal of the novel. Koly is relatable and the plot is interesting. This is a good book to introduce readers to another culture. This could even be paired with a nonfiction book such as Three Cups of Tea and used to generate discussions on things such as comparing cultures and traditions.