The Ever-After Bird

The events of the book take place in 1851.

Ce Ce's , thirteen, parents are dead and she goes to live with her Uncle who paints birds. Her father was an abolitionist, but he was also a very cruel man and was a horrible father to Ce Ce. He's also against slavery, and he takes Ce Ce and a black girl who is studying under him with him to the South. Her Uncle visits plantations, using the cover of finding and painting birds for his real work, which is talking to slaves and showing them what path to take to run away to freedom.

Ce Ce grows considerably in the book in the way she views blacks. She also sees some sights that are really rough for a young girl, and she has to pay a price for what she learns and who she decides to protect.

The book gives a really good view of just how horrible conditions were on some of the plantations for the slaves there. They were property, period, without rights of any kind, and they could be treated either kindly (but still be slaves), or they could be beaten, whipped and even killed. This is all brought quite vividly to life.

Not only is this an excellent book in itself, but it also does a great job of showing the horrors of slavery.

Absolutely a must read.

Main Index

Yadult Index