Sparrow by Sarah Moon is a beautifully written novel about a young girl, Sparrow, who suffers from extreme shyness and anxiety. In order to cope, Sparrow often escapes by envisioning herself flying among the birds. The book opens with Sparrow in the hospital, after an assumed suicide attempt. What we learn later is that she was not suicidal, just trying to “fly” as a method of mental escape. Sparrow puts walls up around herself, making the task of forming friendships very difficult. People she’s closest to are her mom and the school’s librarian. After the rooftop misunderstanding, Sparrow is assigned to weekly therapy sessions. Through her time with Dr. Katz, Sparrow learns how to live in the present, “on the ground” more often. She is also selected to attend a camp for girls interested in Rock-n-Roll. Slowly Sparrow learns to trust in herself enough to make connections with others.

The book will appeal to readers who like Indie Rock – lots of musical references. A great selection for building diverse reads. Appropriate for middle and high school readers.