Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. My 11 year old book worm is providing the review below.

"This book is the story of 11-year-old December as she misses her mother and believes she is a bird. The story follows as she is bounced from foster home to foster home until she is placed with Elanor a taxidermist/wildlife rescuer. Great book amazingly written and I loved the facts that are also provided about birds throughout the book."

I know I'm not the target market for this book, but I absolutely loved it regardless!
December is in care, clinging to the idea (and well imagined) that becoming a bird will fix everything back together.
The tipping point is in a foster placement, when the chance to really spread your wings is scary, but exciting with it.
A terrific read, not too emotional or contrite, but sincere and life affirming. 5 stars from me!

My main literary loves are crime and horror, but I do try and read outside of those genres as often as I can. 'Extraordinary Birds' was just such a read. It's a charming, moving, coming of age tale, about a damaged young girl, December, who believes she is a bird.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I found it to be a gripping, deeply engaging read. It's a book for children, but doesn't soft-pedal or condescend and I think adults would find just as much to like in it as kids. December is a wonderful protagonist, and her avian obsessions are fascinating and really help the book come alive.
It's a tale that covers the things you'd expect it to: bullying, the difficulty of parent-child relationships, our common need for love; but it does them all well. I enjoyed it far more than I expected to and finished it with a lump in my throat.

A beautiful and engaging story about loneliness, dealing with abandonment, developing friendships and relationships amidst community prejudice. Relatable protagonists and a gripping plot that gently twists and turns to gradually reveal clues about the identity challenges faced by the central characters as their relationships evolve. Highly recommended to Upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 children; this novel would be a fantastic class reader as it gently explores a range of topical PSHCE issues!