Kirkus Review
A bird-obsessed autistic boy in rural Pennsylvania finds a fallen eaglet after a storm. Axel lives in a strange and tiny cottage in the woods with his mother, Byrd. He doesn't know why his dad doesn't come around anymore, but Axel has a large family anyway; the older folks on whose land their cottage sits have long since decided that families are much bigger than genetics dictate. He knows what he likes: Ray, his dog best friend; orderly schedules; and helping the ornithologist at the Delaware Valley Raptor Sanctuary. A storm brings far too many changes, smashing a tree through Axel's house (terrible), leaving an eaglet in need of rescue (exciting), and bringing Axel's estranged father back into his life (confusing). Highly figurative prose, packed with symbolism, sometimes accentuates an outsider perspective on Axel's autism, turning his normal concerns with change, lies, and secrets into metaphors for the rehabilitation of his family. But Axel avoids being a mere literary device: His empathy, his strong emotions, his wonderful relationships with the other autistic people in his life (Daniel, his human best friend, and Dr. Martin, his ornithologist mentor) all keep Axel from being merely a symbol or trope. His being autistic shapes who he is and is not a problem: His struggles are instead about trust, family, community--and birds. Axel reads as White; Daniel is cued as Latinx, and Dr. Martin's daughter has brown skin. Poetically portrays the oft-difficult, usually rewarding work of maintaining families of choice and of blood. (science note) (Fiction. 10-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Axel, who exhibits some autism spectrum disorder behaviors, lives with his mom and enjoys observing the eagles near his home. When a tornado damages his house and brings an eaglet to the ground, Axel summons a local raptor specialist to save the bird. Later, Axel's estranged father, Frank, arrives to repair the house, and many secrets are revealed, among them why Frank left and why the neighbors think he should stay away. The present-tense and third-person-omniscient narration are perfect choices (Axel is aware of, but often apart from, events around him), especially when he expresses frustration that adults close to him often lie to shield him from unpleasant truths. Bird trivia features prominently in the story, with avian behaviors ascribed to human characters (Frank is compared to a wild turkey; Axel to an eaglet waiting to fly), and the inclusion of a successfully functioning autistic adult is also a plus. With poems introducing most chapters, this makes a good choice for those looking for a soaring tale of family in its many forms.
