For as long as eleven-year-old Birdie can remember, it's always been just her and her mom, which means there's not a lot of extra money to spend on things like new clothes and batons from the fancy gymnastics store. Still, they always find a way to make ends meet. Then Birdie makes one silly mistake that has a big consequence: Mom loses her job. Now things are more dire than ever, and Birdie knows it's up to her to fix it.
When Birdie discovers a huge stash of cash in an abandoned house, she just knows it must be the answer to their problems. But the people who left that money behind aren't willing to give it up so easily. Does “finders, keepers” count when it's half a million dollars? In this heartfelt small-town story from beloved author Edith Cohn, Birdie learns how to balance what's right for her family — and herself — with what's the right thing to do.
"The sudden influx of cash doesn’t automatically transform Birdie into a carefree rich kid like she imagined. The author focuses on how the newfound money forces Birdie to tell her friends and, worse, her mother a series of lies. Birdie is also paranoid that a criminal might be after her, since the money represents the ill-gotten gains of notorious local brothers. Readers will feel invested in Birdie’s journey of self-awareness, her strong relationship with her kind, truthful, and hardworking mother, and how she navigates friendships with privileged (and clueless) kids.... A touching exploration of class, friendship, and the mother-daughter bond." — Kirkus Reviews
Recommended Age | 9 - 12 |
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Author | Edith Cohn |
ISBN | 1547607114 |
Publication Date | Dec 14, 2021 |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Children's Books |
Language | English |