School work and spelling are definitely not K.C.'s favourite things, nor her strengths. Living in Richmond, Virginia, fourteen year old Katherine C. Cannelli (aka K.C.) had always managed to scrap by in school, especially with the help of her best friend, Emily. But in the 2008 school year, life gets tough. Homework is harder and takes longer to do, her friends are less accepting and money and family issues are making things tense for K.C. at home. If that is not enough, her mom signs her up to be a pen pal with a girl in a Sudanese refugee camp for internally displaced people (IPDs) to give her more writing practice. Too much!

Separated by distance, wealth, education and life experiences, they are an unlikely pair to become friends. Yet, when K.C., her mom, and her brother Todd make a spontaneous visit to Save the Girls, the non-profit organization that had matched K.C. with 15 year old Nawra, K.C. starts to see her role as pen pal in a whole new light and she realizes what she needs to do.

Despite her devastating circumstances and all the work involved in ekeing out a bare living in the camp and caring for her mother, Nawra is glad to be alive and is inspired by her good friend, Adeeba, and the sayings from her grandmother. As she cares for her mother, now crippled and mute from the trauma of the invasion of the Janjaweed that destroyed their small farming village, she is thankful for the money from her pen pal, but wonders why she never receives any letters.

Sylvia Whitman, acclaimed author of several books for children and young adults, has written an amazing and authentic novel that any reader over the age of fourteen will have trouble putting down! While worlds apart in wealth and life circumstances, these is intriguing symmetry in their lives that help the two girls to connect, despite the total differences in their life's situations. Their mothers are challenged by their own share of loss and heartbreaks, yet manage to get what is needed for them. Their fathers had loving relationships with them when they were young and they miss the closeness they had before it was cut by death or divorce. Most fortunate of all, both K.C. and Nawra are lucky to have intelligent sister friends who appreciate their gifts and strengths and guide and challenge them to do new things.

THE MILK OF BIRD is filled with compelling characters, realistic situations and authentically voiced dialogue and inspiring proverbs. Whitman swiftly and succinctly pulls us into dramatically different life circumstances by opening a window into the lives of the girls as they tell their stories from their own perspectives while alternating the narratives with the letters sent. As trust is established, Whitman gradually reveals the real fears and concerns of the girls and covers topics, such as brutal rape, genocide, female circumcision, AIDS, learning disabilities and challenges faced by NGOs. As the story of the two teenage girls slowly unfolds, I honestly believe that THE MILK OF BIRDS is sure to turn out to be one of the most heartfelt and inspiring books you will read and the love and wisdom in it will be forever etched in your heart and mind. The title comes from a saying that "Peace truly is the milk of birds." Don't miss out! This is a book you will both desire to keep, yet immediately want to share with your friends! Enjoy!