A year ago, Rachel Bird hated it in small-town Aspen Lake. She and her little sister, Jane, had just moved in with grandparents they never knew they had. But this summer looks very different. Rachel has a best friend, a boyfriend, and she gets to ride her horse, Magic. They are all sweltering under a heat dome, and though Rachel’s heard about the dangerous wildfires, they seem very far away. Then the grass turns yellow and Rachel smells smoke all the time. Just when she was finally letting herself settle in, her new home is in jeopardy. If the fires reach Aspen Lake, will Rachel and her family be able to make it out in time? And what will happen to everything they leave behind?

Q: What inspired you to write this story? A: After writing Rachel Bird, I felt very attached to Rachel. I wanted to continue her story. The inspiration for the setting and time of Like A Bird came from my personal experiences on our family’s ranch with forest fires, three evacuations over 20 years, leading up to the heat dome and devastating fires several years ago in B.C. During an evacuation, there are so many emotions and questions – panic, dread of what might happen, questions like “What should I take? What should I leave behind? What really matters?” Putting Rachel in this situation and giving her the responsibility for her family’s safety allowed her to develop her strengths, recognize her fears and take charge of her often very complicated life.

Q: What do you hope readers learn or take away from your book? A: Forest fires play a major role in this book and are affecting more and more Canadians. As we grapple with climate change, I hope readers will have a better understanding of how lives of ordinary people are impacted and the need to find solutions and act now. However, I did not write Like A Bird as a climate change book. It’s really about Rachel who struggles with high school, fitting in with her friends and her relationship with her boyfriend, Cody. I think readers will identify with Rachel’s challenges and understand the importance of learning and growing and accepting that life is not always going to be perfect .

Happy Book Birthday to: Like a Bird by Becky Citra 🎉

Swipe through to find out more about the book and some thoughts from the author!

Like a Bird is now available at your nearest indie bookstore!

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