Postcards for a Songbird

Gr 8 Up–It’s just Wren and her father after her older sister Lizzie leaves. Her mother left years ago and Wren, the quiet dutiful daughter, tried everything she could to make sure that Lizzie stayed, and it broke Wren’s heart when she went anyway. All Lizzie leaves behind is her room, in which Wren paints a forest, and the postcards she sends Wren. At the grocery store, Wren meets Leia, who introduces her to a new way of viewing the world, and Luca, whose aura of cadmium yellow exactly matches Lizzie’s aura. After Luca sits next to Wren at driver’s ed class and their flirtation grows into a relationship, her world becomes bigger and braver. Her friendship with Wilder, the boy across the way who can’t leave the house, and Lizzie’s best friend Baby Girl, further help her explore who she is without Lizzie. As Wren discovers truths about herself, her father’s silence about why her mother and Lizzie left can no longer be enough. Despite a too perfect boyfriend and an unnecessary twist, Wren’s journey of self discovery is an enjoyable read.