Blue Heron

Twelve year-old Maggie is uncertain what the future will hold as she arrives in New England for another August with her father, stepmother, and new half-sister Linda. Worries that her baby sister will replace her dissolve quickly, however, as Maggie discovers that her father is hiding health issues and his relationship with Joanna, her stepmother, has grown strained. Maggie's only peace comes early in the morning as she walks to the edge of the lake near their summer rental and watches a great blue heron hunt each dawn. She soon finds that even the heron is in danger, and desperately tries to save it along with her family. This quiet, melancholy book is as slow-moving and careful in its pacing as the heron that Maggie watches with such admiration. It works well in this context, as Maggie herself is a contemplative and serious girl who is careful before she speaks or acts. I enjoyed Avi's exploration of relationships within nontraditional families–who would have thought that stepmothers aren't always evil?–and though the ending left much to be desired in terms of resolutions for Maggie's family situation, it is nonetheless highly satisfying.