Customer Reviews

The Ever-After Bird (Great Episodes)

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The Ever After bird by Ann Rinaldi is a captivating, exciting, and danger-filled story. You begin at CeCe's house (the main girl) in the north with her abolitionist father, a cruel and stone-cold man. But when CeCe's father dies, her uncle Alex is given custody of CeCe. Her uncle is a doctor and is going to the south to paint birds (one of his hobbies) and offers to take CeCe with him, and Earline (a runaway slave). CeCe decides to go with her uncle, whom she starts to love more and more. As CeCe is traveling down the roads from plantation to plantation she will learn along with you about slavery (is it good or bad) and many other things, pleasant and not so pleasant. I feel that Ann Rinaldi, the author of this romantic, tragic, heart-breaking, and heart-warming story does not hold back the tragedies of life. She does not hold back the reality of life.
This fascinating book takes you with CeCe from the middle, beginning, and end of her life. Solving problems and learning the wonderful, romantic, horrible, tragic, spiritual, and many more parts of life

When CeCe McGill's father gets killed, Cece just wants
everything to be a bad dream. With her mother dead, too,
CeCe needs someone to take care of her. All of a sudden, a
man who claims to be her uncle comes to take CeCe in. CeCe
has heard many stories about this man and not all of them
are good. CeCe agrees to live with Uncle Alex, but with
hesitation. CeCe finds herself whisked away in an adventure
of a lifetime. Being a famous bird watcher and painter,
Uncle Alex uses this profession to get into plantations in
the South where he ends up freeing slaves. Uncle Alex brings
along his assistant, a student at Oberlin College and a
former slave, but CeCe doesn't seem to get along with her
very well. When CeCe has to save her and sees how terrible
slavery is, it changes her forever.

This book is thebest historical fiction book I have ever read!
The author,Ann Rinaldi, does a fantastic job of making you feel like
you were part of the story, sitting right by CeCe and Uncle
Alex. I loved the characters that the author created,
especially warm-hearted Uncle Alex. The way that the author
talked about slavery really moved me. It made me think
differently about life back then. I could not put the book
down, and I was intrigued with the story even when there was
only background information. I think that the author ended
the book well without leaving you wondering about what
really happened to the characters. If you like historical
fiction, you won't want to put down The Ever-After
Bird.

Reviewed by a young adult student reviewer
Flamingnet Book Reviews
Teen books reviewed by teen reviewers

If he hadn't been determined to help runaway slaves, he would still be alive. That's why CeCe McGill hates abolitionists. Her father devoted his life and their home to giving aid as part of the Underground Railroad, but it was also what ended his own life when he was shot. His death left CeCe an orphan.

When CeCe's uncle, a doctor and an artist, arrives after her father's death, she is nervous about leaving the only home she's ever known to live with him in Ohio. It doesn't take long for her to realize he has a kind and gentle soul. So why is it a surprise when she learns he is an abolitionist just like her late father?

The difference is that CeCe finds herself more directly involved in the abolitionist movement. Uncle Alex and his assistant, a young, black college student, are planning a trip to the South. Uncle Alex wants to study rare birds, and his assistant wants to research the institution of slavery for her studies at Oberlin College. CeCe is invited along for the adventure.

The three travelers must adhere to the behaviors and customs of the South. Uncle Alex's assistant, Earline, will be assuming the role of slave, and CeCe and her uncle must act in character as her owner and mistress. If they are discovered, the punishment could result in death. CeCe is well aware that her uncle will be doing more than just searching for the scarlet ibis know as the Ever-After bird. He will also be helping point slaves in the direction of freedom.

CeCe's adventure is filled with educational opportunities as she learns about the world of rare birds and the workings of slavery. She sees the hope of freedom, but it is often colored with the tragedy of abusive treatment and even death. All she hopes is that they survive and, in some small way, make the world a better place.

Ann Rinaldi is well known for her historical fiction. THE EVER-AFTER BIRD paints a unique picture of slavery in the South, and the fight fought by brave individuals who wanted to see its end. Her descriptions compare the gentle refinement of the South with the startling reality of life behind the grand plantation houses and blooming magnolia bushes.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

One of Rinaldi's better recent efforts. A somewhat transparent look at the evils of slavery, but a convincing one. My biggest problem about this book was that the main character, CeCe, was said to be 13-going-on-14, but was treated throughout the book at much younger. Especially when dealing with a time period when childhood was much shorter than we're accustomed to, it seemed odd that a girl of that age would be treated as needing so much protection. Other than that, the book seemed realistic and would definitely be good for middle school-age children to learn about slavery. And, of course, I loved all the references to Oberlin!

My fourteen year old daughter has this to say about this book:

When I was first handed the book and told to read it "because it was good", I was slightly skeptical. The title confused me because I had never heard of such a thing as The Ever-After Bird and second of all, I am not the kind of person who will just pick up a book and read it. I dawdle and I procrastinate. With this book I didn't dawdle. I started reading as soon as I got home. It was amazing. Ann Rinaldi writes so well you'd think she had lived through it. Although the characters are historical fiction, the facts are true.

Too short. Teehee! I wish it was as long as my alltime fave, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.