Publication Date: July 1, 2014
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The best songs come from broken hearts.
Sixteen-year-old Bird Barrett has grown up on the road, singing backup in her family's bluegrass band, and playing everywhere from Nashville, Tennessee to Nowhere, Oklahoma. One fateful night, Bird fills in for her dad by singing lead, and a scout in the audience offers her a spotlight all her own.
Soon Bird is caught up in a whirlwind of songwriting meetings, recording sessions, and music video shoots. Her first single hits the top twenty, and suddenly fans and paparazzi are around every corner. She's even caught the eye of her longtime crush, fellow roving musician Adam Dean. With Bird's star on the rise, though, tradition and ambition collide. Can Bird break out while staying true to her roots?
In a world of glamour and gold records, a young country music star finds her voice.
BUY LOCAL: Alecia encourages readers to order their copy of Wildflower through their local bookstore. Anyone that buys local and emails a copy of their receipt to Alecia at aleciawhitaker(at)me(dot)com will receive an autographed bookplate.
Alecia was honored that Wildflower made the Kentucky Bluegrass Awards Master List for 2016 for grades 6-8. A Book Club Discussion Guide is now available here.
Bird Barrett’s life isn’t exactly normal: Since she was 9, she has been touring, playing bluegrass music with the Barrett Family Band. She is used to living in an RV, being in a different city every night and not having any close friends outside of her family. She yearns to be noticed by Adam Dean, another traveling musician
who often plays the same venues as her family. However, she never expected to be noticed by an agent for a major record label at one of their shows. Before long she has a record deal, is in the studio laying down original tracks with seasoned musicians, and has legions of fans. Bird is suddenly a public figure living in the spotlight, which has implications not only for her music, but also for her family and her budding relationship with Adam. What separates this novel from others featuring teenage superstars is how grounded Bird is, even as she struggles to process the dramatic changes taking place in her life. Her family is loving and supportive, though Bird’s choices do provoke natural tension among them at times. Genuine dialogue, a quick pace and a plot that strikes the right balance between realistic and fantastic make for an engaging read. The lyrics and sheet music for one of Bird’s songs are appended. This tender introduction to a newly minted country superstar sets the stage for a compelling series.
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- Kirkus
Gr 8 Up—Bird and her family are members of a bluegrass band that play at various local venues around the United States, touring in their beloved RV named Winnie. The family is extremely close, united by tragedy and their love of music. Aside from her beautiful voice, masterly fiddling, and song-writing skills,
Bird is a regular teenager who fights with her brothers, loves to text on her phone, and wants a handsome fellow performer to notice her. Things begin to change when a talent scout for a record company offers Bird, but not the entire family, a contract. The Barrett Family Band faces an uncertain future as they relocate to Nashville, where Bird can begin recording her music. Her family members put their own careers on hold, causing some strife with her older brothers while the teen struggles to adjust to long days and a life that is no longer her own. Fans of country music will enjoy the contemporary references to well-known stars, and aspiring musicians will appreciate the detailed plotlines involving Bird's work in crafting music and song lyrics. As a bonus, an appended section provides the sheet music and lyrics to Bird's "hit" song "Notice Me." Instant success isn't always this easy, but Wildflower gives the reader a satisfying novel with a cast of characters who are all worthy of making it to the top of the charts.
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- Anne Jung-Mathews, Plymouth State University, NH
Bird Barrett is named after Lady Bird Johnson, yet the name fits her in other ways, too—she has a gorgeous voice, and when she plays fiddle with her family’s bluegrass band, her fingers fly. Bird loves writing and playing music, and traveling the country
with her parents and two brothers, squeezed tight in their RV, moving from one show to the next—especially when their paths cross with fellow country singer, Adam Dean. When Bird steps in to sing lead one night, everything changes. Suddenly, record deals are on the table, but signing could mean giving up playing with the Barrett Family Band. Whitaker (The Queen of Kentucky) has a knack for evoking the feel of a live performance—both the atmosphere of the venue and what it’s like to play on stage. She’s created a winning protagonist in Bird and given her a life that’s unusual, a fascinating career, plenty of struggles to overcome, and a comforting and supportive family, even when they disagree. Fans of shows like Nashville will fly through this like Bird on her fiddle. Ages 12–up.
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- Publisher's Weekly
"Whitaker's novel Wildflower is pitch perfect and bursting with soul and heart."
- Gwendolyn Heasley, author of Where I Belong and Don't Call Me Baby
"Authentic, romantic, and entertaining--Wildflower and Bird will make you fly."
- Rebecca Serle, author of The Edge of Falling
"Wildflower's Bird Barrett is a country music star you won't soon forget."
- Jen Calonita, author of the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series and Summer State of Mind
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