In the same region of Virginia where John Boy and his siblings grew up on Walton's Mountain during the Depression, five adolescents on Charry Ridge are coming of age in the early 21st century. One of them is a crow. It is the naif narrator of their stories. The young bird surreptitiously follows the lives of the other four. Having raised a fledgling bird as a school science project, Kevin must decide whether to keep it or return it to the wild. His close friend Virgil fears his abusive father, who has sworn to kill him and his mother. Ashley and Katelyn are sisters who have lost their mother to drug addiction and their father to disease. As they confront the issues they face, each young person is also developing a special talent in art, music, photography, and woodcraft. A wise, old pine tree where a crow flock makes its home tells the history of the mountains and their inhabitants. Domestic and wild animals describe their lives and the challenges of adapting to life among humans. Through an entertaining magical element and some observational humor, the novel introduces research-based information about the wildlife, history and contemporary culture of southern Appalachia. The author website (suzannalbright.com) adds related information and multi-media content.
