Whelan, Gloria. Homeless Bird. New York: HarperCollins Children's Book, 2000. Print.
Annotation:
Imagine leaving home forever…at 13. That is what happens to Koly when she is forced by her parents into an arranged marriage. Despite all that, Koly’s story is one of hope…
Justification for Nomination:
Gloria Whelan’s Homeless Bird is a poetic and powerful story about thirteen-year-old, Koly, who is forced into an arranged marriage. After the death of her husband, Koly’s life is turned upside down when her mother-in-law abandons her in the city of Vrindavan. As is the Indian culture, Koly must wear a white sari to outwardly show that she is a widow. Being a young widow, Koly struggles with having no status in society, having no means in which to support herself, and above all, no longer having her family by her side. Along her journey, Koly begins to shape her own life. She encounters people willing to help her and soon realizes she can rely on her own resources and talent of being a skillful embroiderer.
Homeless Bird reads like a novel based on true events, which makes its authenticity pure and simple. Factual dialogue and imagery of the Indian culture is rich throughout Homeless Bird: the vivid colors described in the scenes very much add to the element of the story, as does the interweaving of Hindi words throughout. Whelan provides a glossary of Hindi words at the end of the book which proved to be very useful in reading the story.
Homeless Bird deserves a nomination because it involves a strong and courageous young girl who struggles with her own cultural identity issues. Through Koly’s struggle, she is able to discover her inner strength and resilience, despite being destined to a lonely life of widowhood by Indian culture and tradition. Koly breaks free of that weight upon herself.
Genre Category: Multicultural, Coming of Age, Search for Identity
