If These Wings Could Fly

High school senior Leighton juggles a difficult life with a volatile, emotionally abusive father, her dream of escaping town to attend college, and her worry about who will protect her younger sisters when she leaves. At the same time, she is given a project to report on a hoard of crows inhabiting their town and causing chaos, even though she is the only one who doesn’t see this as a problem. This coming of age novel, sprinkled with magical realism, is suitable as a whole-class, literature circle, or independent novel for senior students. It deals with the difficult topic of parental emotional abuse in a sensitive, realistic manner. Social considerations noted; may be triggering for some students.