![]() ![]() The novel explores Corbin’s insecurity and fear as he and his mother ride the waves of her disorder together. ![]() Sherrard writes with authority about the inner world of a child forced to take on an adult role because of an ill parent. Little by little, Corbin lets down his defences, first with Sitta, then with Izelle, and he eventually befriends a network of people who care about him. ![]() Corbin finds himself wondering just how much the bird understands after a dramatic episode, he suspects Sitta might have the power to cast a spell that could change his life. Sitta is a good listener and has learned to speak a few words. Izelle can no longer keep her pet but insists on visiting rights. He is very good at managing life he is not good at trusting anyone, asking for help, or making friends.Īll that changes when Corbin adopts a sympathetic parakeet named Sitta from Izelle, a chatty schoolmate. Partly as a result of his mother’s bipolar disorder, Corbin has developed excellent coping skills: he tiptoes around her frightening mood changes, backs away from her blistering attacks, and scrounges for odd jobs to pay for food every time she quits work or stops taking her medication. In her latest book, Sherrard takes her readers inside the mind of 12-year-old Corbin, who lives in poverty with his single mother. Valerie Sherrard is a respected children’s writer, based in New Brunswick, whose considerable body of work demonstrates a deep understanding of children and teens in difficult situations. ![]()
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