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Title details for Birdgirl by Mya-Rose Craig - Available

Birdgirl

Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future

by Mya-Rose Craig
Mya-Rose Craig
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available

"Craig narrates, imbuing her book with genuine pathos."- The New York Times

"Mya-Rose Craig's narration of her debut memoir is full of youthful exuberance, wisdom, and wit."- AudioFile
"Craig narrates her own work, transmitting her enthusiasm and knowledge in her engaging British-Bangladeshi accent."- Library Journal
Birder, environmentalist and activist Mya-Rose Craig is an international force. In her moving memoir, Birdgirl, she chronicles her mother's struggle with mental illness, and shares her passion for social justice and fierce dedication to preserving our planet.
Meet Mya-Rose – otherwise known as "Birdgirl." In her words: "Birdwatching has never felt like a hobby, or a pastime I can pick up and put down, but a thread running through the pattern of my life, so tightly woven in that there's no way of pulling it free and leaving the rest of my life intact."
Birdgirl follows Mya-Rose and her family as they travel the world in search of rare birds and astonishing landscapes. But a shadow moves with them, too—her mother's deepening mental health crisis. In the face of this struggle, the Craigs turn to nature again and again for comfort and meaning.
Each bird they see brings a moment of joy and reflection, instilling in Mya-Rose a deep love of the natural world. But Mya-Rose has also seen first-hand the reckless destruction we are inflicting on our fragile planet, as well as the pervasive racism infecting every corner of the world, leading her to campaign for Black, Indigenous, people of color.
Joining the fight of today's young environmental activists, Mya-Rose shares her experiences to advocate for the simple, profound gift of nature, and for making it accessible to all, calling her listeners to rediscover the power of our natural world.
Birder, activist, daughter: this is her story.
A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 28, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781250887252
      • File size: 273798 KB
      • Duration: 09:30:24

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      December 5, 2022
      “Birdwatching... is a thread running through the pattern of my life, so tightly woven that there’s no way of pulling it free and leaving the rest of my life intact” writes Craig in her dynamic debut. Born to a British father and Bangladeshi mother, Craig grew up in a family of fervent birdwatchers (or “twitchers”) for whom the activity wasn’t a hobby, but a means of survival. She recounts her family using travel to cope with her bipolar mother’s intensifying mood swings and troubling thoughts, sharing how they came together to search for birds in exotic destinations and traversed all seven continents before the author turned 15. As well, Craig touches on her 2016 founding of the charity Black2Nature, a platform to help give "visible minority ethnic" people better access to the outdoors (“To have a real shot at saving our world, we must involve every ethnicity as a matter of urgency”), sprinkles in background on endangered species and conservation efforts to save them, and offers something of a bird-watching 101 that covers techniques and explains the field’s jargon. This will inspire nature-minded readers.

    • Library Journal

      September 1, 2023

      Ornithologist, environmentalist, and diversity activist Craig offers a memoir that traces her childhood and her pursuit of rare birds, known as "twitching" in British parlance. Born to a British father and a Bangladeshi Muslim mother, Craig was initiated by her family into birding from an early age; together they traveled internationally, with her first big birding trip at the age of six. Craig's birding forays took her to wild areas around the world, where the devastating effects of development and climate change wreaked havoc on most animal species, including birds. Craig's journey into climate activism is a natural outcome of all that she has seen and done. In addition to detailing her development as an environmentalist and birder, Craig candidly discusses her mother's diagnosis of bipolar disorder, which impacted their trips but also helped them grow as a family. Craig narrates her own work, transmitting her enthusiasm and knowledge in her engaging British-Bangladeshi accent. VERDICT Craig's infectious passion for birding, racial equity, and environmental activism are conveyed with joy and sensitivity. An exuberant memoir that is recommended for all collections.--Gretchen Pruett

      Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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