Theme:  Adventure April
Book:  Homeless Bird
Author:  Gloria Whelan

Meeting Activities:
We had a wonderful meeting. We sat on the porch and enjoyed refreshments while talking about the book of the month. We played charades of book titles and made "bookworm" bookmarks.

Book report by Scooby Doo
Number of pages:  192
Voice:  First Person
Main character(s):  Koly
Summary:
The issue she had to deal with was finding herself a home.  To address the issue, she worked hard and shared a room with a girl named Tanu.  The story ends when Koly marries Raji and moves back to the country.  I rate this book Excellent.  I liked it because it addressed a real issue back then. I couldn't believe that Koly's mother-in-law (Sass) abandoned her and gave her only 50 rupees.

Quiz Questions:

1. Do you think that the title is a good title?
2. Picture yourself in Koly's place, what do you think your life would be like?
3. What do you think of your parents choosing a husband for you?
4. Who could you relate to?
5. What made you think this was adventurous?
6. What was depressing about this book? Why?
7. Who was your favorite character? Why?
8. What did you think of the book?

Comments from our book club journal:

"I liked it because of the culture. I would hate that."
- Scooby Doo

"It was very depressing."
- Pooh Bear

"I think that Homeless Bird was upsetting."
- Ginger

"I enjoyed the vivid descriptions in the book."
- Beth Ann S.

"I loved learning about another culture and reading about a young woman's triumph over extreme circumstances."
- Alex B.

"I think that Homeless Bird was a very powerful story."
- Maddy B.

"I think that Homeless Bird was very excellent."
- Lauren V.

"I thought Homeless Bird was a wonderful, insightful story. It gave us a chance to see what life is like growing up in another country."
- Lori D.

"I thought that it was an excellent choice in that it was equally appealing to adults as well as children."
- Ann S.

"I liked this book because I felt bad about that she had to marry someone she had never met."
- Jenny S.

"I think that Homeless Bird was very upsetting."
- Stef S.

"I really liked learning about the culture in Homeless Bird."
- Sally S.

"A wonderful book for our girls to read and learn about another culture."
- Vicki W.