Nest

Gr 3–6—Naomi Orenstein is an 11-year-old Jewish girl living on Cape Cod in the 1970s. Her obsessive observations of native birds earns her the nickname Chirp. She has a psychiatrist father, dancer mother, sometimes rebellious teenage sister, possibly abused friend Joey, and an unlikable teacher. After receiving a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, Naomi's mother falls into a depression that leads to institutionalization, then suicide. Family and community dynamics force Chirp to escape into her personal "nest," then run away with Joey to try to hold onto memories of her mom. The author's rich characterization brings listeners into Chirp's world and breaks their hearts. Narrator Jenna Lamia uses careful articulation to portray a young girl trying to cope with huge changes and adds a level of passion when describing the birds on the Cape. Her use of a hard Boston dialect for Joey is sometimes uneven, but she keeps the various voices for the family members and teacher distinct.