Schmidt's books are always likely to be Newbery contenders and this is no exception. Thirteen year old Doug has multiple reasons not to be okay. But on the steps of the town library he finds a friend and inside the library he finds Audubon's Birds of America. In the terrified but determined expression of Audubon's Arctic term, Doug finds a kindred spirit. Life throws one challenge after another at Doug but he draws enough inspiration from Audubon's birds and enough strength from the goodness of the community around him to meet them head on.
Liked this better than the winner myself.
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