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| Bird Lake Moon | 
| Author: Kevin Henkes
Publisher: Greenwillow
Category: Book
List Price: $15.99
Buy New: $5.40
You Save: $10.59 (66%)
New (41) Collectible (1) from $5.40
Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 65705
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 192
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 1
ISBN: 0061470767
EAN: 9780061470769
ASIN: 0061470767
Publication Date: May 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Spencer thought the house might be haunted. Mitch knew it wasn't. And he knew why. The whole time Spencer and Mitch hung out together at Bird Lake that summer, there were secrets keeping them apart. And maybe a secret knowledge keeping them together, too—together like members of the same tribe. Like friends.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Bird Lake Moon September 22, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
My knowledge of Kevin Henkes, the author, never extended outside of his picture books (and what picture books they are!). I thoroughly enjoyed his fun titles like Lily's Purple Plastic Purse, Owen, and Chrysanthemum and for the longest time, I thought this was all there was to Kevin Henkes. I hate to admit it, but it wasn't until recently that I realized his novel Olive's Ocean was a Newbery Honor Book. I didn't even know he wrote novels (he's written 8)! So when I saw that the Wisconsin native's latest novel, Bird Lake Moon, was being generously reviewed as everything from a ghost story, to an edge-of-your-seat page turner, to a suspenseful summer adventure yarn, I couldn't get my hands on a copy fast enough.
The last thing Mitch Sinclair wanted to do this summer was stay with his grandparents at Bird Lake. If Mitch had it his way, his parents would NOT be getting a divorce and his family of three would be working out their problems together at home in Madison. Spencer Stone wanted nothing more than to come to his family's cabin on Bird Lake, but ever since his 4 year old brother drowned in the lake years ago, the getaway has lost its appeal. This summer however, Spencer is getting his wish as his family looks to return to Bird Lake and put their past behind them.
I should tell you up front, I have A LOT to say about this book and that this review will be very long. If you'd rather discover some of the plot particulars on your own, you might not want to read on. Some people would maybe think I give away too many SPOILERS. But if you too, are wanting to read this book, and are expecting some of the very same things I expected (a ghost story, a mystery, adventure), please read on, because you'll find that nothing I discuss is truly worthy of a SPOILER WARNING. The thing is, there is no mystery or suspense or summer adventure in this story and what really upset me upon reading it, despite the expectations I set, is that there very easily could have been.
I suppose I can maybe see where the "ghost story" comparisons come in. The only satisfaction Mitch gets out of Bird Lake is the uninhabited house that sits next to his grandparents'. When Spencer's family shows up, occupies the house, and ruins Mitch's own private hiding place, he feels that he can scare them away by making it look as if a ghost is haunting the house, unaware of the fact that the Stone's lost a family member in the lake years ago. This may sound a bit demented on my part, but that could serve as one heck of a premise, especially with the alternating point of view chapter style that Henkes uses here. I was excited about where this could go, but instead, it goes nowhere. In fact, Mitch confesses this and the cat is let out of the bag early on.
I guess once the story got going, I found myself somewhat intrigued by one small mystery. What happened to young Matty Stone, Spencer's dead brother? How did he die and why is Spencer's mother still having a hard time dealing with his death many years later? I'm not saying that moving on from such an event is an easy thing to do. A tragic loss such as this, probably stays with some people forever. But Spencer's mom just acts so darn peculiar in the book, that something HAS to be up. It's as if she's hiding something from us, and the rest of the family. Do we ever find out about Matt Stone's death? Nope. To lead us to believe that there may be more to the story, only to leave us hanging, is maddening to me, high expectations or not. This coming from an author who has not just a Newbery Honor, but a Caldecott Medal attached to his name.
So my last hope was in the `adventure' department. It was inevitable that these two troubled boys were going to meet, connect with each other, and have one good `ole rip-roaring summer. Wrong. In fact, nearly 70% of the book goes by before their paths even cross. And when they finally do meet, Henkes wants the reader to feel their friendship, but really gives us nothing. The boys play in the lake together. Once. That's all we get.
No ghost story, no mystery, no adventure. Just two boys facing grown-up problems and handling them on their own. Don't get me wrong, Henkes' writing is pretty strong in some of these moments, particularly Mitch's struggle coming to terms with his parents' eminent divorce and his father's infidelity. I think many children will be able to easily connect with Mitch and will have shared many of his same thoughts. The alternating chapter style, bouncing back and forth between each boys' point of view, was unique but since I didn't find Spencer to be all that interesting, his half of the book really disrupted the flow of this story.
In the end, I just couldn't get over my expectations, couldn't get over what this book could have been. I realize that I set those expectations and that if you come in with none, maybe you'll discover a nice little story about the effects of divorce on children. As for me, I hope the next time I read a Kevin Henkes book, that it stars Lilly and her purple, plastic purse.
 A Teacher's Perspective September 9, 2008
This piece of Contemporary Realistic Fiction contains several deep themes including death, the development of moral character, sibling relationships, and friendship. The story would be a classic person vs. self conflict, but also contains a bit of person vs. society because of Mitch's current family situation.
I could relate to Mitch's inner struggles as he attempted to right his own wrongs to save his friendship. I think everyone has experienced the remorse that follows bad choices and the inner tug-of-war that follows. We've all asked ourselves, "How do I make this right?" I also thought the contrast between the two families' dynamics was intensely interesting and thought provoking. The differences in the personalities of the two main characters could often be traced back to their prior family experiences.
This book would be perfect for literature circles in the classroom. Small groups of students would benefit from discussing Mitch's struggle to develop moral character and the implications of his impulsive decision making. In addition, I woud keep this book handy for students encountering divorce and encourage them to think about how Mitch grows and develops through his family's changes.
 Another touching novel that dives into the emotional storms of family loss August 11, 2008
Twelve-year-old Mitch Sinclair just found out that his father has left him and his mother for another woman. Torn apart by the news, he and his mom go up to Bird Lake to stay with his grandparents for a while. Unfortunately, his grandparents seem to feel very uncomfortable with their two houseguests, creating an edgy atmosphere.
To stay out of their way, Mitch spends as much time as he can away from the house, including swimming in the lake and exploring the empty house next door. Desperate for something solid to hold on to, he decides to claim the empty house as his own. He carves his initials into the railing and moves a few belongings under the porch. He begins dreaming that he and his mom might buy it for real and move in together. But then they arrive.
Ten-year-old Spencer Stone has a seven-year-old sister named Lolly who annoys him to no end. They used to have an older brother, Matty, but he drowned when Spencer was two. Spencer doesn't remember him, but he can feel the sadness emanating from his parents, even after all this time. Then one day, his mom and dad announce that they are going for a little vacation, up to the house on Bird Lake, where Matty died. After avoiding the house since the accident, the family is finally going to decide whether to keep it or sell it.
Mitch feels angry toward the Intruders. Another thing that's important is being taken away from him, and he decides to fight. He hatches a scheme to scare the family away with a ghost infestation. But then he has to start dealing with the guilt feelings sweeping over him. Just because his parents are causing him pain, does that give him the right to cause pain to others?
Spencer loves the house on the lake, but he can see how stressed his mom is at being there. And then he begins witnessing strange occurrences. Are they messages from his dead brother?
Award-winning author Kevin Henkes brings us another touching novel that dives into the emotional storms of family loss. He handles the fragile subject with honesty and sensitivity, offering it up through realistic characters. The chapters cleverly alternate between Mitch and Spencer, sharing different perspectives of the story. Henkes has a beautiful writing style and descriptive elegance that adds a special touch to this charming book.
--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK POND
IT will keep you on the edge of your seat July 15, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Reviewed by Brianne Plach (age 10) for Reader Views (7/08)
Have you ever been convinced something is wrong and found out later that it wasn't that way? Imaginations are great things, except that sometimes your imagination can run wild and make you think something entirely different than the truth.
Spencer is spending his summer vacation at Bird Lake. He is sure that there is a haunted house nearby. The house is rundown and he keeps finding clues that the house is haunted; but, is it just his imagination running wild, or is someone setting him up? Spencer makes a new friend in Mitch. Spencer spends a lot of time trying to convince Mitch that the house is truly haunted. But Mitch seems too skeptical to come around to Spencer's way of thinking. Does Mitch know something that Spencer doesn't?
"Bird Lake Moon" is a great summer read. The two boys are spending the summer at Bird Lake. They are doing all the normal stuff that boys do during a vacation but there's a mystery to be solved while there. There are many adventures around the lake to keep the boys occupied.
If you like mysteries and spooky old things, you will love "Bird Lake Moon" by Kevin Henkes. I'm sure he talks from experience when describing young boy's adventures. It is no surprise that Mr. Henkes is an award-winning author. He will keep you on the edge of your seat and entertain you from cover to cover. When you see the moon out in the sky this summer, think of all the fun you could have if you visited Bird Lake!
Great Book. May 15, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a great story about two boys who come together one summer at the lake. Both are dealing with tragedies that have occured in their lives. Spencer is trying to figure out about the death of his brother that occured when he was little and why noone talks about it. Mitch is dealing with the recent seperation of his parents. A great look at how they handle the situations and how they spend time together. Would highly recmmend this book.
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