Eep!

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Review "In this whimsical and touching story, Warren discovers a half bird/half girl, and he and his wife, Tina, take her in. They call her Beedy and love and care for her as their own child, until one day she unexpectedly flies away. Heartbroken, they set off to find her in hopes of saying good-bye. The couple soon meets up with several other people who have been touched by Beedy, and who never had a proper farewell either. Traveling together, they all search for the mysterious creature and learn valuable lessons along the way. Interspersed with illustrations reminiscent of Quentin Blake's work, the story ultimately conveys a message about connections and family. The main characters have a childlike wonderment that makes the fact that they are grown-ups kind of a secondary quality. For example, at one point they go to the big city to try to find out what could have happened to the child and spend hours going to different information booths. They collect data on movie times, bus schedules, and exchange rates, but are unable to find out anything about where their Beedy went. This original and creative work is compelling from the opening drawing right to the end of the book. Anyone looking for a fun read will enjoy the story, but it may be particularly poignant for children dealing with issues surrounding closure." --School Library Journal (Journal)"Originally published in the Netherlands, van Leeuwen's fable-like fantasy revolves around a half-girl/half-bird and her effect on the people whose lives she touches. Named Birdy by Warren and Tina, a childless couple whose life she literally falls into, the bird-girl calls herself Beedy, due to her difficulties with pronunciation. She develops a habit of flying away without warning and abruptly leaves Warren and Tina, arriving in the bedroom of motherless Lottie, an imaginative child who had always believed that 'one day, someone or something extraordinary would be waiting for her when she got home.' Lottie is good to her―as were Warren and Tina―but Beedy leaves her, too. The bird-girl somehow fills such a deep need in everyone she encounters that they are compelled to search for her; soon, there is a group of four, Chicken Little–style, on her trail. Coincidences and near misses proliferate, culminating at a peculiar hotel where eccentric, troubled people come to be cured. While melodically translated and accompanied by van Leeuwen's amusing line drawings, the somewhat bewildering tale may leave some readers scratching their heads." --Publishers Weekly (Journal)"Celebrated Dutch children's author van Leeuwen brings her enigmatic recent classic to an American audience. One day, avid bird watcher Warren finds a strange creature under a bush. 'This was a bird in the shape of a little girl. Or a little girl in the shape of a bird. Or something in between.' He takes the bird-girl home to his reclusive wife, Tina, and the couple, who always hoped for children, form an immediate attachment to the creature they name Beedy, after its mispronunciation of 'Birdy.' When Beedy flies away one day without a good-bye, Warren and Tina, in a fashion much like Alice's chase after the white rabbit, begin to search for their bird-girl. On their quest, they meet a host of equally downtrodden individuals, including Lottie, whose single father often leaves her alone while traveling for work, a depressed rescue worker and a boy obsessed with spirits and ghosts. Together, they not only look for Beedy but form a fierce bond of friendship and love. Van Leeuwen's quiet prose beautifully describes the characters' sentiments as each also finds wonder along the way. Her line drawings, quirky by American standards, add a playful nuance to the already layered story. Adults will better understand Beedy's need for freedom and a parent's difficulty in letting go. Willing readers of all ages will delight in the story's unusual surprises." --Kirkus Reviews (Journal)"A magical story about a missing girl with wings who can fly―and the disparate collection of earth-bound people who come to love her. Featuring extraordinary line drawings, and original, direct writing: 'The city didn't really know where it was supposed to end. It had a very frayed edge.' The lessons in this book are countless, beginning with the notion that children are as complex and as richly endowed with eccentricities as adults. A beautiful, humorously rendered story about family. Ages nine and up." --ForeWord Magazine (Magazine)"In this charming, quirky import form the Netherlands, a quiet birdwatcher named Warren comes across a small, seemingly abandoned girl with feathery wings instead of arms. Beedy flies more easily then walks, likes to say 'eep,' and prefers to eat bugs―and soon she changes the life of Warren and his wife. Childless loners, they protectively care for (and hide) Beedy, since they fear others won't understand her uniqueness. Then one day, Beedy wings away south without saying good-bye. The couple's pursuit opens them up to a wider world where they meet a young girl and a gentle professional rescuer who also have been touched by the bird-girl. A mutual journey, including a comic stay in a mental institution, takes the foursome from isolation to companionship and purpose. A gentle message about caring and letting go informs the book, but the portrayal has such a light, pleasurable touch, the message isn't preachy or didactic in the least. Punctuating the text are inky black-and-white drawings akin to those of Shel Silverstein, Dr. Seuss, and Edward Gorey―humorous, touching, and eccentric. A splendid parable to recommend to readers of any age who long for something larger and sweeter in tone than mere plot-driven fare." --Booklist (Journal)"On a bird-watching expedition, Warren finds a rare creature―'a bird in the shape of a little girl. Or a little girl in the shape of a bird. Or something in between'―and brings her home, where he and his wife Tina care for her. Slowly Beedy walks, talks, and fledges―until one day she takes to her wings and escapes through the window of a public washroom. 'I'd really have like… to have said, Goodbye,' says Tina, and she and Warren set off to find Beedy and do just that. But in her travels Beedy has become loved by others, including a stubborn, enterprising child and a man with a penchant for rescuing people. As the four band together to search for her, each finds solace, resolution, and new purpose. Insightful, affectionate humor and whimsy suffuse this fantasy, which is illustrated throughout with van Leeuwen's clever, comic drawings. Somehow, van Leeuwen manages to be both comforting and absurd, ironic and tender. Refreshingly respectful of its audience―and characters―in both ideas and prose style." --The Horn Book Magazine (Journal)"Warren finds a rare creature―'a bird in the shape of a little girl. Or a little girl in the shape of a bird'―and brings her home, where he and his wife, Tina, care for her. Slowly Beedy walks, talks, and fledges―until one day she flies away. Tina and Warren set out to find Beedy to say goodbye. Insightful, affectionate humor and whimsy suffuse this fantasy, which is illustrated with clever, comic drawings." --The Horn Book Guide (Journal) Read more About the Author Joke van Leeuwen studied history at the University of Brussels, performs in cabaret and theatre shows, writes stories and poems for children―which she illustrates herself―and writes prose and poetry for adults. She has received innumerable awards, including the prestigious Theo Thijssen Prize, the triennial Dutch State Prize for youth literature. Read more