A dazzling anthology of avian-themed fiction guaranteed to frighten and delight, edited by one of the most acclaimed horror anthologists in the genre. Birds are usually loved for their beauty and their song. They symbolize freedom, eternal life, the soul. But there’s a dark side to the avian. Birds of prey sometimes kill other birds (the shrike), destroy other birds’ eggs (blue jays), and even have been known to kill small animals (the kea sometimes eats live lambs). And who isn’t disgusted by birds that eat the dead—vultures awaiting their next meal as the life blood flows from the dying. Is it any wonder that with so many interpretations of the avian, that the contributors herein are eager to be transformed or influenced by them? Included in Black Feathers are those obsessed by birds of one type or another: A grieving widow takes comfort in her majestic winged neighbors, who enable her to cope with a predatory relative. An isolated society of women relies on a bird to tell their fortunes. A chatty parrot makes illegal deals with the dying. A troubled man lives in isolation with only one friend for company—a jackdaw. In each of these fictions, you will encounter the dark resonance between the human and avian. You will see in yourself the savagery of a predator, the shrewd stalking of a hunter, and will wade into this feathered nightmare, braving the horror of death for that which we all seek—the promise of flight.

"Peregrine falcons are hunters, the fastest creatures in the world. But when Talon is locked in a cage--his wings stilled forever--his mighty heart and spirit are broken. He bemoans the loss of his wings, crooning the song all caged birds sing. No bird or squirrel anywhere in the world would ever dream of rescuing a falcon. But in the Rose Garden lives a squirrel like no other. Shikar the squirrel, a kind-hearted creature, is friends with the birds of the garden. His tiny heart bleeds for Talon and the terrible fate that has befallen him. And late one night, Shikar and his bird friends mount a daring rescue attempt."--Page [4] of cover.

Return to the world of the Wingfeather Saga with Andrew Peterson and his all-star author friends—now featuring new illustrations and the first-ever Wingfeather comic! Immerse yourself in a land of bomnubbles and quarreling cousins, sea dragons and book publishers, thieves and Fangs and secret maps. Here within these pages lie seven stories of the distant past, lost adventures, forgotten songs, and heartbreaking histories. The Shining Isle is restored, but Aerwiar is vast—and these authors have tales yet to tell: • Explore the inner walls of Yorsha Doon, just West of the Woes of Shreve, on the edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, from the eyes of young Safiki in “The Prince of Yorsha Doon” from the creator of Aewiar, Andrew Peterson. • Jennifer Trafton's warm and whimsical writing brings to life a publishing nightmare populated by the many beasts of Skree in “The Wooing of Sophelia Stupe.” • Learn the origins of Ollister Pebmrick's mysterious entry in the Creaturepedia about his encounter with a raggant in “Willow Worlds” by N. D. Wilson. • Travel with young Podo Helmer on an epic hunt for sea dragons in “From the Deeps of the Dragon King” from A. S. Peterson. • Jonathan Rogers presents “The Ballard of Lanric and Rube,” sung by Armulyn the Bard, tale-spinner of the imaginary Shining Isle of Anniera, in On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. • Discover what life was like for Maraly and Gammon in post-war Skree in “Shadowblade and the Florid Sword"—the first-ever Wingfeather comic—by Andrew Peterson. • Douglas McKelvey's epic, heartbreakingly hopeful novella "The Places Beyond the Maps” recounts a father's journey to redemption. You'll also find delightful illustrations by Justin Gerard, Hein Zaayman, Cory Godbey, John Hendrix, Nicholas Kole, Aedan Peterson, Joe Sutphin, Jay Myers, and Doug TenNapel. Enter a rich, imaginative world that becomes more real, more mysterious, more dangerous, and more beautiful with each story's telling.

In this thoughtful story of loss and recovery a young boy's happy life is interrupted when his grandfather passes away. Suddenly his world is full of big questions and difficult emotions. Will things ever be normal again? For a time he struggles with his thoughts and feelings. Then one day, during a chance encounter on the subway, he makes a wonderful new connection...

WELCOME TO STORK-PUR, THE PLACE OF NO RETURN One moonlit night, when Shikar, the squirrel, asks his favourite doves, Lovey and Dovey, to tell him a story, they recount their time at Stork-pur, a mysterious bird commune. A place no bird would ever want to visit. On a secret mission, the doves are taken hostage by a villainous stork whose dark plan is to rule the bird-world. Danger lurks in every corner of the caves the doves are imprisoned in, and they wonder whom they can trust? The talkative green pigeon, the mesmerizing whistling thrush or the magnificent golden eagle? The feather-raising adventure ends finally in a story the doves dub as 'the story of all stories'–one that deeply affects Shikar and alters his notions of himself, his past and his origins. Return to the Rose Garden to read about the enthralling capers of your favourite feathered friends and bird-squirrel, as they swap stories of daring and wonder.

The city is home to beautiful rose-coloured flamingos that feed in its creeks and mudflats. But when one among them, Sunglow, disappears, the skybird Longtail is called in to investigate. Rumour has it that the seagulls and the crows are behind the bird-napping, and Longtail zeroes in on two possible suspects—Skull, the brash seagull, and S-Crow, the tough and ruthless leader of the crows. But will the brave skybird be a match for them? Can he find the missing flamingo before sundown, or will he face a most terrible consequence? Return to the ledges of the fountain in the Rose Garden to read about the enthralling capers of your favourite feathered friends and bird-squirrel as they swap stories of daring and wonder.

A Newbery Honor Book A beautiful and moving novel from a three-time Newbery Honor-winning author “Hope is the thing with feathers” starts the poem Frannie is reading in school. Frannie hasn’t thought much about hope. There are so many other things to think about. Each day, her friend Samantha seems a bit more “holy.” There is a new boy in class everyone is calling the Jesus Boy. And although the new boy looks like a white kid, he says he’s not white. Who is he? During a winter full of surprises, good and bad, Frannie starts seeing a lot of things in a new light—her brother Sean’s deafness, her mother’s fear, the class bully’s anger, her best friend’s faith and her own desire for “the thing with feathers.” Jacqueline Woodson once again takes readers on a journey into a young girl’s heart and reveals the pain and the joy of learning to look beneath the surface. "[Frannie] is a wonderful role model for coming of age in a thoughtful way, and the book offers to teach us all about holding on to hope."—Children's Literature "A wonderful and necessary purchase for public and school libraries alike."—VOYA