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THE SUMMER BIRDS by Penelope Farmer

THE SUMMER BIRDS

By

Pub Date: March 28th, 1962
Publisher: Harcourt, Brace & World

For Children Only -- lucky ones who can still penetrate the world of fantasy in a reality bound era -- a secret world that Charlotte, Emma and the rest of their class-mates enter through a friendship with a strange and wonderful bird-boy who teaches them to fly. The children are real enough. They live in a little English town, attend school and have a teacher named Miss Hallibutt. But what of this boy? Where did he come from? How did he learn to fly? All during the summer, he guides his ""flock"" through exciting times -- gay take-offs, sky games, etc. Yet the question of his identity remains a puzzle. As summer merges into autumn the children learn of his special mission and are faced with the most difficult choice of their lives, -- to fly off forever or face the task of growing up. Miss Farmer brings her audience gently down to earth, with the knowledge of having soared sky high. A sort of Peter Pan quality.