A Controversial Children's Book: Gloria Whelan’s Homeless Bird, Reviewed

Image: Amazon

by Paula Blanco

Did you know that in India widows are discriminated against and are a disgrace?

Shouldn't we do something about it? Well we probably should if this were actually true, but this is false, despite what the book Homeless Bird makes you think.

However, I didn’t know anything about this small book before opening it, so I didn’t have many expectations. I knew it is a children’s book and most of the time this type of book doesn't deal with such serious issues. But I was intrigued by the peculiar name of this book, as it doesn’t sound like a children’s book at all. I didn’t expect what the story would really be about.

As I started reading the first chapter, I was introduced to Koly, a 13-year-old girl from India, who was not shocked after finding out she was about to get married. She knew her parents didn't have money and they couldn’t handle having another mouth to feed. After this, she was introduced to her future husband who was the same age as her, but there was certainly a difference; he was sick. Her maa (Mother in India) explains to the boy’s mother she was a good worker and gave her money to receive her. After they got married, she was forced to work all day, and she was being poorly treated by her mother in law.

Could the story of Koly be even more tragic?

Well, as I kept reading, the tragedies didn’t stop there: Koly’s husband died, so his

mother, Sas, was devastated and took revenge on Koly by making her work double.

And no, they don't stop here either! In the India portrayed in this book, widows are considered bad luck, so they are abandoned in a city. Yes, this happened to Koly. Yes, very melancholic. As Koly didn't have any money, she was left homeless. But at least she had something to eat, provided by the monks to other widows. Later on, she learned to be independent with the help of her new friends and new husband.

Isn't this a little bit too heavy for a children's book?

Maybe, but I'm not concerned about this being too heavy for children. What I am

concerned about is this book misinforming children about Indian culture. Before I

started researching, I believed that the story was true and factual. Nevertheless, as

mentioned by the author, she got the idea by reading a story about child widows and

seeing this in the Asian embroidery in America. These Indian “traditions”, then, are

not real, as they’re rarely seen in India, which then gives a bad impression of India

and their supposed culture to young, uninformed readers.

So, is this book worth reading?

It depends. Reading this book at a young age could not only be confusing, but could

make young readers despise Indian culture. However, if we are already informed about

India, we could distinguish between reality and fiction, and enjoy this short book

about extraordinary and tragic situations that happen to an Indus girl; Koly. The

author clearly expresses emotions and situations that make you reflect on life, in an

engaging way, such that once you start reading you will not stop. If you consider

yourself someone interested in somewhat true stories, then this is the right book for

you.