Oh, Restless Bird

Age Range: 9+ (middle-grade readers)

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Release Date: 4.23.12

Pages: 224

Publisher: ZonderKidz (Zondervan)
Part of a Series: *book #3 in the From Sadie's Sketchbook series

Tag Line: Where is God when you need him?

Summary (snagged from Goodreads): After struggling to fit into a new town and school, Sadie faces questions about her faith, family, and friendships, questioning all she has come to believe. Sadie's life is spinning out of control. Her friend moved away, her mom remains ill, and her dad wants to leave town. At least the play Sadie is helping produce appears to be going well. After all, she gets to create the sets with her art teacher's help. But even that falls apart when a flash flood destroys her teacher's home and art. How can she trust or even believe in a God who would allow all this? God isn't fair. With everything crumbling and her faith on the edge, Sadie must find strength in the God she's questioning in order to hold on in the midst of her struggles.

What I Loved: I wasn't so sure I'd really like this coming-of-age story, but I was wrong, as I found myself really really in-like with Waves of Light! It was so full of wonder, questions, hope, faith, trials, love and friendship...all for this spunky 'n' artsy young girl named Sadie to sift her way through and draw closer to God and her loved ones all at the same time.

The characters were so alive. The writing was beautifully vivid. And the story was super excellent.

You know, I really wish that there would have been more series for young ladies like the From Sadie's Sketchbook series when I was in Middle-School. I really do.

What I Didn't Like So Much: I hadn’t read the first two books in the faithGirlz!/From Sadie’s Sketchbook Series ( {1} Shades of Truth and {2} Flickering Hope ) so I did end up feeling a little bit lost at times in the midst of the already well established story and characters. Other than that I have no more complaints whatsoever.

I’m recommending this book… If you are looking for a hard-hitting coming-of-age story for a middle-grade reader about faith, family and answers about where God actually is when you need him, then this will be a fun, quick read for you! Prepare to smile. Prepare to be charmed. Prepare to fall in love with little lady named Sadie! I give this good-read 4.5 stars!

About The Author: Naomi Kinsman is the author of Spilled Ink (winner of the 2009 Moonbeam Gold Medal for Educational/Activity book) as well as the From Sadie’s Sketchbook series (Zondervan). She has written and directed over 50 plays for young audiences, and has written for Highlights, Spider and Devozine magazines.

As founder of the Society of Young Inklings, Naomi shares her passion for writing and creativity with young people across the country. Society of Young Inklings offers game-based classes, unique resources, national club membership and publishing opportunities for young writers. Naomi has a BA in Theatre Arts from Seattle Pacific University, has studied theatre with the Piven Theatre Workshop and ACT, and has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University.

She is the Assistant Regional Advisor for the San Francisco South chapter of SCBWI. Naomi’s background in improvisational and story theatre as well as her arts education work in Chicago, Portland and the Bay Area has convinced her that creative play is a doorway through which learners can find inspiration and transformative learning experiences. Naomi lives in Northern California with her husband, and identically colored pets: a tuxedo cat and a Portuguese Water Dog.

*I received this book for free through Charleen Famiglietti of DJC Communications/Zondervan for the purpose of this review.