- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: Harpercollins (April 12 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0007332009
- ISBN-13: 978-0007332007
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 13 x 2.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 281 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
It is a rare writing debutant indeed that launches her first novel for children so conclusively and emphatically into the "must-read" books-of-the-year category. Feather Boy charts the first, truly character-defining sequence of events in Robert Nobel's short life so far. He is often the butt of classroom jokes and pranks--and being called Norbert No-bottle all the time isn't much fun either. He secretly wants to be somebody. To have a voice. To have friends.
Robert's participation in the Elders Project begins a sequence of events that change his life forever. Selected members of his class are chosen to visit the elderly residents of Mayfield Rest Home--to interact with them, to find out about their lives and to "counter ignorant attitudes about such senior members of society". Robert's main attacker, Jonathan Niker, may think them all "vegetables", but Robert's own buried true-life personality is slowly unearthed by Edith Sorrel--a prickly resident who singles him out as her boy to talk to.
Edith is considered quite mad, haunted by the unhappy memories of a past incident involving her old home, Chance House. Her son died there under tragic circumstances that Robert compulsively needs to find out about and examine. Yet Edith is a fascinating enigma. Clearly very ill, she confides all sorts about her life in Robert yet denies the existence of her doting husband at her bedside. As Edith's condition deteriorates and the Elders Project heads towards its conclusion, Robert is drawn deeper and deeper into her story. His visits to the derelict Chance House become more frequent, and one fateful trip to sleep there overnight as a dare with Niker heralds the first step on Robert's own journey to finding out about his real self.
Nicky Singer's Feather Boy is more than just a story about bullying. It's bigger than that. It's about finding your voice, shouting from the rooftops about something you believe in, refusing to back down, helping a friend and never giving up. It's enormously uplifting, accomplished and satisfying. (Age 10 and over) --John McLay --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
Robert Nobel is a misfit. Bespectacled and gangly at age 12 (his arms and legs are "like white string loosely knotted at the elbows and knees"), the self-confessed "class squit" is perfect bully bait, and the misery of his daily existence seems assured, until an arts project at a local nursing home pairs him with Edith Sorrel, a truculent resident with a mysterious history. First, with Edith's encouragement, he makes a solo trip to the place that holds the key to her past the top-floor flat of spooky, derelict Chance House, where, it is rumored, a 12-year-old boy plunged to his death decades ago. The flat contains nothing, just a few pigeon feathers. Edith next tells Robert the beginning of a folktale about a firebird and insists he make her a coat of feathers. When Robert learns that Edith is terminally ill, he becomes convinced that, if he can complete it in time, the coat will somehow save her life. Singer, a British novelist making her YA debut, deftly builds tension as the various threads of her story converge, tying together the secret of Edith's long-dead son, the significance of the firebird story and other plot elements. Throughout, the writing soars, from the pitch-perfect delineation of Robert's wry, self-deprecating voice to the change wrought in him as he becomes "the sort of boy who can fly." Ages 10-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A truly insperational novel,
By "pony_1988" (Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Feather Boy (Paperback)
My gradmother gave this book to me for my last birthday. When I read the back of the book, I pretty well made up my mind that this isn't the kind of book for me. When I was getting to the end of my book pile this summer, I figured that it was about time to read it. And now, I'm very glad that I did! This book inspired me to follow my dreams, and not many novels have done this. It says in the last chapter, it says that luck is something that you have to make for yourself, which I found a very interesting perspective. I would recommend this book to anyone who is feeling left-out or under any strong emotion. This book truly lifts your spirits, and makes you feel like you can fly.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Rare and Truly Exceptional Book,
By
This review is from: Feather Boy - Essential Modern Classics (Paperback)
Reason for Reading: I was immediately drawn to the story involving a derelict house and a mystery surrounding it. Then I noted the book had been published under the Essential Modern Classics list. This is a list of books chosen by the publisher's UK house and is a collection of outstanding books for children. From looking at the titles I'd say the age range varies anywhere from 8 to 15. Four new titles are to be published in 2010 under the Essential Modern Classics list and I think the authors chosen present a unique collection for North American readers to discover. I intend to be keeping up-to-date with ESM as well as digging into their backlist.This is one of those rare and truly exceptional stories. A book that captures the heart and will live on in memory for ages. The story defies an age group, while not suitable for youngest children, it can be read and enjoyed by juveniles and adults with equal pleasure. There are both a young 13-year-old and a senior citizen character for readers to possibly choose one over the other to identify with, though the book is told from the 13-year old's point of view. As part of the Essential Modern Classics series the book starts with an informative paragraph bio. of the author followed by a short essay entitled "Why You'll Love This Book" written by a famous author, in this case David Almond. This publisher's series also sometimes end with extra material at the back of the book, but this one does not. Robert is the kid who gets picked last for sport teams, is teased relentlessly by the class smart alek and therefore everyone else, and has been nick-named Norbert by the other kids ever since he can remember. Robert joins the Elders' Project which involves working at the local senior's home and partnering with an Elder to create a visual that will sum up the group's experience of what they have learned about each other. Robert is more than surprised when a strange old lady suddenly calls out she doesn't want her partner, she wants him ... and is pointing directly at Robert. Thus begins a life and death relationship that will change who Robert is forever. Robert is directed to a creepy old derelict house where rumour has it a boy about his age once jumped to his death from the top floor apartment thinking he could fly. Robert must race against time to figure out the mystery of the house and learn himself how to truly fly. Heart-warming, funny, with characters who make you like or hate them, this is a beautifully written book. It is a coming of age story for Robert as he has a truly remarkable experience. It is a coming to terms with life story for the old lady, Mrs. Sorrel, as she finds a way to settle the anguish and self-punishment she has put herself through for the past forty years. Out of all this come life for one and death for the other, both good and wonderful things. This is an exceptional story which I am delighted to have read.
5.0 out of 5 stars
AN UNDERSTANDING AND SUSPENSEFUL READING,
By
This review is from: Feather Boy (Audio Cassette)
Not much is more cruel than the way young people may treat the one they consider to be the "class nerd." Such is the case with Robert Nobel, often called "Norbert" by his primary bully, Jonathan Niker.Like every other youngster Roberts wants to have friends, to be recognized as a person of value. It seems this will not happen until he takes part in what is called the Elders Project, an endeavor in which members of his class visit the elderly residents of a rest home. Jonathan considers these older folks "vegetables," but Robert sees something more and this is a vision that changes his life. Edith, thought to be quite a bit off, becomes Robert's friend and it is through her story that he eventually finds himself. Director/actor Philip Franks invests understanding and suspense into this unforgettably moving tale. - Gail Cooke
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