Starbird Murphy and the World Outside

Gr 8 Up—Starbird grew up within the confines of her Family. To her, normalcy is not knowing who her father is, working for the greater good of those on the Free Family Farm, and waiting for elder and translator EARTH to make his way back from his mission. Starbird is a true believer, not like some of the other members of the Family who have drifted since EARTH's departure. She despairs about her own brother's disappearance, but finds comfort in the rituals of Family life: farming, communal cooking, story night, and her developing feelings for fellow family member Indus Stone. But when Starbird finds herself seemingly scorned by Indus, and she has an opportunity to work Outside in the Free Family Cafe, she leaves the Farm for the first time. After moving into a communal home in Seattle, Starbird registers for public school and begins her job at the cafe. She quickly realizes that life in the Free Family was not everything she thought it was. Just when Starbird is ready to ask some tough questions, charismatic EARTH comes back into the picture. This well-paced, character-rich story boasts a sense of foreboding that will be palpable even for those readers without much knowledge on American cultism. Finneyfrock deftly uses Starbird's new life in high school to weave in the history of American cults and communal living to place Starbird's story within a larger context. Readers from all walks of life will likely identify with this story's overarching themes of questioning faith and authority and the building of family.—Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City