Silhouette of a Sparrow by Molly Beth Griffin

Sixteen-year-old Garnet Richardson is spending the summer at a Minnesota lakeside resort when she falls in love with Isabella, a dancehall girl. Molly Beth Griffin's Silhouette of a Sparrow isn't a typical YA coming out story because it is set in 1926, the flapper era.

I appreciated Griffin's vivid depiction of time and place. Even better is Garnet's unique hobby. Because her mother considers Garnet's interest in ornithology unladylike, Garnet keeps paper and scissors in her pocket instead of binoculars and a birding record journal. She quickly snips out silhouettes of the birds she sees. Each chapter is given the title of a bird (including latin name) and illustrated with its silhouette. The effect is lovely.

Silhouette of a Sparrow is a sweet, quick, interesting read.

Readalikes: A Northern Light (Jennifer Donnelly); Good Moon Rising (Nancy Garden).

Birds inspire me to create art also. My two pieces below are done with a simple linocut printing technique.