Each Little Bird That Sings

Title: Each Little Bird That Sings
Author : Wiles, Deborah
Publisher: Harcourt Books, 2005
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Range: 5th grade and up

Summary: This book is Comfort Snowberger, her family, and her family's business - the local funeral home, "Snowbergers." At Snowbergers "we live to serve." This motto is embraced by her member of her family. All her life Comfort has understood death and how to deal with it, that is until her great - Aunt Florentine dies. Comfort has to come face to face with the person she hates the most, her cousin Peach Shuggars. She also learns that sometimes best friends aren't just that. After almost dying in a flash flood, (on their way to Aunt Florentine's burial) Comfort saved her own and Peach's life - but unfortunately had to let her dog, Dismay go. Comfort learns how to deal with mourning and ultimately learns that her family will always be there to support and love her. They are the ones she needs.

Response: After reading this, I have a found a NEW FAVORITE BOOK!! Honestly, this book hits the top of my favorite list! I connected with Comfort so much! Besides being a girl, growing up in the south, and who is proud of it - Comfort and I are so similar!
- Aunt Florentine: "Even my hair was behaving. Aunt Florentine would be proud." First off, Aunt Florentine reminds me a lot of my grandma. She is very girly, but still loves to get her hands dirty. Her and Comfort are VERY close, just like me and my grandma. I have actually heard my grandma tell me that she is proud of me because I look "half decent!" :) This is something I could see Aunt Florentine say. Aunt Florentine is also very nosey, just like my MeMe. However, Florentine would never admit to is. She always referred to it as "geography." This is so cute! My MeMe would never admit to it either. Florentine is also just like my grandma because she loves to cook, have things in order, and make others happy! I also think it neat that Comfort is so close to her "great" Aunt. That is exactly how my family is. I am so close even all the way to my great-great Aunt's. That is one reason I love growing up in the south!
- Peach Shuggars: This little "brat" is my brother. Although I hated to love him, I did end up loving him in the end. This little boy has a big heart and is very sympathetic - just like my little brother. So many of the emotions that Comfort had for Peach, I have experienced as well. Although just as Comfort realized, it feels good to have someone look up to you! I also really liked at the end when she referred to him as a "perfect peach." This shows her acceptance and love for Peach - what he really wanted in the first place. And what I need to show my brother more often. One thing that made my heart go "aw" was when Peach told Comfort, "you saved my whole life." "When i die will you come to my funeral?" This just showed how much Peach loved Comfort and how he was beginning to accept this fact of death.
- Comfort: I love how Comfort could care less about how she looks. All she wants to do is go outside! This was me when I was growing up! I loved the fireflies, to climb, and to play with my animals. Comfort also taught me so much. I have always had a hard time dealing with death. In fact, I am a little bit like Peach when it comes to someone in my family dying. Comfort really did teach me that your loved ones will always be with you. Comfort also found "comfort" from her dad - just like me. For example, when Ccomfort went on the porch at night to find Dismay and she found her dad sitting out there. She got on his lap and found solice. For the first time her and the Snowbergers were mourning and for the first time Comfort felt sorrow and her dad did too. I recognized this with my dad when my grandpaw died over Christmas. I needed my Dad and he needed me. This was because just as Florentine raised Comfort's dad, my pawpaw was the only one my dad had. He did not want to stay at my grandparent's house by himself - but wanted me to stay with him. This made me feel so good. I also had to have my dad with me to touch my great-grandpaw, when he died, four years ago. I had never touched anyone who had died before. My daddy was the only one I wanted. I think Comfort would have wanted to same. Last thing, I really like how Wiles portrayed Comfort talking to people through her thoughts. For example, talking to her Aunt in Uncle in the ground. I do this too! Just like she talked to Florentine in her casket and said she made her smile, I did the same with my grandpaw - and I think he made me smile!
- The South: There are several things I connected with about the south. The fireflies, the recipe for sweet iced tea! My family does it the same. We even use a wooden spoon. I also really like how her Aunt Goldie says, "let her be." My family says this all the time. Man, I love the south!

I think this book really helped me get a handle of my emotions after my PawPaw Clinton's death. It really helped me come to grips with what has happened.

Teaching Ideas: I am definitely going to have this book avaliable in my classroom. I think it would be wonderful to talk about "voice" in a piece of literature. Also, dialect or regional writing. This book is written on a fairly easy reading level - so I would let me students choose to read it as a "free choice read." However, I would really talk it up because I think it is so great! With younger children (and myself) this is a great book to talk about death and the emotions that come along with that.