Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan

In the first (and I think best) of Gloria Whelan’s books about girls in other lands, “Homeless Bird” tells the story of Koly, a 13 year-old Indian girl trapped by culture and custom. Told simply and beautifully, the prose sometimes reads like poetry. What I like about this is that Koly is a true Indian girl. Western sensibilities do not enter in here, we get to see life in that world as it is, not how a liberal voice might redraw the character as some Disneyfied feminist hero. I learned a lot about India from this short little book (perfect for Middle School) and was happy that an upbeat ending was woven in without seeming in any way forced. The metaphor of sewing quilts pervades the book, and makes for a gentle, touching thread that wraps itself around you as you read. This is one of those rare treasure books, a little tale told grandly.