Fly Away Home

by Eve Bunting, Ronald Himler (Illustrator)

Overview

A homeless boy who lives in an airport with his father, moving from terminal to terminal trying not to be noticed, is given hope when a trapped bird finally finds its freedom.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780395664155
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/22/1993
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.75(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.12(d)
Lexile:	580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Eve Bunting was the beloved, award-winning author of more than two hundred and fifty books for young people, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere.

Ronald Himler is the award-winning illustrator of more than 75 books for children. He lives in the desert outside of Tuscon, Arizona. ronhimler.com
 

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"A first-rate picture book that deserves a place in all collections. Sure to spark discussion." School Library Journal, Starred

Editorial Reviews

"A first-rate picture book that deserves a place in all collections. Sure to spark discussion." — School Library Journal (starred review)

From the Publisher

In this timely and touching work, Bunting and Himler present a naturalistic look at the plight of the homeless--their tale of a boy and his father living in a busy airport is all the more disturbing for its lack of a pat resolution. Ages 5-8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

K-Gr 3-- ``My dad and I live in an airport . . . the airport is better than the streets.'' As they did in The Wall (Clarion, 1990), Bunting and Himler successfully present a difficult subject in picture book format. A small child narrates the facts of his homeless existence--sleeping sitting up, washing in the restroom, and above all, avoiding being noticed. The brief text runs through all his emotions from a matter-of-fact acceptance to a fierce longing that makes him angry at those who have homes. Using subdued watercolors, Himler conveys the vast, impersonal spaces through which father and son move. He often places them at the back or edge of the pictures, underscoring their need to go unnoticed. This is a serious story but not an overpoweringly grim one. There is a reassuring togetherness between father and son and although there isn't an easy, happy ending, it does conclude on a poignant yet believable note of hope. Both illustrator and author focus on giving the child's-eye view of the problem, and their skill makes this a first-rate picture book that deserves a place in all collections. --Karen James, Louisville Free Public Library, KY

School Library Journal