This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite
Bird Kid by Carl Owens is a graphic novel that explores the issues of bullying against young kids at school. Phil “Pill” Anderson has just moved to a new town from Albuquerque and is faced with the daunting prospect of a new school, new friends, new (scary) girls and, of course, new bullies. Pill’s father is obviously no longer around, presumably deceased, and it is up to his mother to provide all the guidance and security he needs. But she has a job and Pill is often left alone to make the daunting walks to and from the school where he is accosted, beaten up and robbed by a couple of older bullies from the school. When he finds respite in a local junkyard, he discovers it is a shortcut to and from home but the junkyard manager is alternately helpful and then sometimes not so much when it comes to allowing Pill to take the shortcut home and avoid the bullies. Bird Kid is an ongoing graphic novel that will continue in future issues, so we will have to wait for the next episode.
This is a well-illustrated, well-told story about bullying that was an enjoyable read. Author Carl Owens has produced a professional story here and one that draws the reader in. The illustrations are, at times, spectacular. If the graphic novel’s intent was to draw the reader in and interest him/her in reading more of this series, I think the book has achieved its objective. I, for one, am interested in learning more about the eccentric junkyard manager and what exactly he is up to with his creations there in the yard. This is an excellent start to what could be a well-crafted graphic novel/comic book series. Well worth the read, especially for those in the young or pre-teen group (middle school perhaps). It has a message that will resound with many young readers.
