Feather Boy by Nicky Singer Review

Feather Boy by Nicky Singer
Published by HarperCollins Publishers on 2013-03-07
Genres: School & Education, Social Issues, Young Adult
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
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Robert Nobel, the school pariah, triumphs over his own fears and the school bully, in this extraordinary tale of self-empowerment, legend and death. Robert is a boy who can do anything � or so old Edith Sorrel at the nursing home tells him. Robert doesn�t think so, knowing as he does that he is the school geek.But something compels him to do what Edith asks � to visit old Chance House, where a boy once fell to his death from the top floor flat, to confront his fears and find some answers. Niker the bully thinks this is a great laugh. He challenges Robert to spend the night at Chance House with him � but there the balance of power changes, and it is Robert who proves to be the stronger. Niker feels threatened by the change � and when he finds out Robert�s secret obsession, to make the dying Edith Sorrel a coat of feathers like in the old legend of the Firebird, he knows just how to wrest his old power back. But just how important is the coat of feathers? Could it really save Edith�s life?

Robert Nobel is the type of kid most of us were in school, not picked first for sports, dorky, but with a sense of humor. Feather Boy by Nicky Singer is Robert’s story of coming of age. Robert’s class is asked to participate in a project where they are paired with an old geezer, and must connect the past with the present. Robert is pair with a woman who tells him, “You look like a boy who could fly if he wanted to.” He gets fairly obsessed with the Elders project.

Told in first person, Feather Boy by Nicky Singer is a quick, uplifting read. If I had sat down and read Feather Boy by Nicky Singer�straight through, it probably would have taken me four hours. The only problem I had with this book was how British it was, not that being British is a bad thing, it just took me a few seconds to puzzle out that crisps were potato chips and chips are actually fries. Yes, so I am “daft.” Anyways, I found this story being relatable as Robert is picked on by bullies, his parents are divorced and he’s a shy, quiet kid who has courage within.

I feel Feather Boy by Nicky Singer�would connect the most with middle-grade readers, as the protagonist is 13. Who knows, maybe even reluctant male readers might enjoy Feather Boy.�While reading this book, I would recommend curling up with a nice cup of hot chocolate, marshmallows on top.