by Harold Keith
First published 1972
The Barnes children discover a nest of orphaned bluejays in their neighborhood. The young birds need constant care to survive, but raising wild creatures proves more challenging than the siblings expected. They must learn about bird behavior, feeding schedules, and the delicate process of preparing the babies for life in the wild. An unexpected helper emerges when the local bully joins their rescue mission. Working together to keep the fragile birds alive, the children and their former antagonist discover that caring for something vulnerable can bridge the gap between enemies. Through sleepless nights of feeding and the daily worry over their charges' survival, they build an unlikely friendship. The bluejays become more than just birds to save. They become the catalyst for understanding that compassion can transform relationships and that even the toughest kids have gentle hearts waiting to emerge.
Genres: animals, family-life, friendship
Vibes: emotional, heartwarming, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unlikely-allies
Period: 20th-century
224 pages · Hardcover · Thomas Y. Crowell Company