However, Granny Chree, a Black herbalist and wise woman who pushes Lilliana about her wavering faith, falls into troubling tropes.

To make matters worse, while hunkering down on a church pew Lilliana overheard a conspiring conversation, and knew right away that she only had one option.Songs are more often - but not always - sung by male birds marking out territory to deter rivals and attract the attention of nearby females. You would be forgiven for doing a double-take if you have ever spotted a bright green parakeet in the UK or heard one screeching as it flies overhead. I think each person that reads this novel will have a different perspective of the history that goes along with it. Unfortunately the area has ties to the Ku Klux Klan, with the library being available to colored folks, it creates tension in the town of No Creek and it gets nasty.

A clever busybody who wears her heart on her sleeve, her convictions inspire adults, while her knack for over promising and counting on people’s goodwill adds humor. While some birds chirping at night repeat the same sounds, Eastern Screech-Owls are different: They can hoot, bark, and, of course, screech. Her gradual willingness to stand up for other victims, even though she once failed to do so for herself, is encouraging. With a beautifully mellow song, blackbirds deliver low-pitched, flute-like verses which often close with a squeaky twiddle.But she soon learns that while No Creek might be a temporary respite from everything and everyone that she left behind, the small community is steeped in prejudice, the kind that burns crosses in front yards and hides behind white hoods.