Of a Feather by Dayna Lorentz (review)

After her mother is hospitalized and her grandmother's house turns violent, sixthgrader Reenie moves in with her great-aunt Beatrice, whom Reenie has never met. While Reenie is slow to warm up to the situation, she's captivated to learn that Beatrice is a falconer; she quickly falls in love with the sport and the red-tailed hawk Beatrice has trained. Meanwhile, a young owl in the nearby wilderness struggles to learn how to hunt for himself; when he's injured, chance brings him and Reenie together, and the girl tenderly cares for the wounded bird she names Rufus. This is a classic fish-out-of-water tale, with a hefty helping of lost-parent story. Reenie is all sharp edges and no trust, certain that making friends or letting her guard down would be dangerous to her well-being. Rufus (who calls himself Second) is all uncertainty and self-deprecation, certain he is "The Absolute Worst Great Horned Owl Ever," but his confidence builds under Reenie's care. As narration alternates between Reenie and Rufus, it's clear that Lorentz is mirroring their stories of missing moms and personal growth. However, the voices are too similar, and while Rufus's innate haughtiness and judgment of the Furless Creatures' inability to understand Owlish provide some humor, his chapters interrupt what is otherwise a compelling narrative of coping, loss, and learning to trust. Still, for readers interested in hunting, falconry, or birds of prey, there's a lot of instruction packed into this title, with end matter including a glossary of falconry and birding terms and a Q&A based on Lorentz's conversations with experts.