Birdland by Tracy MackScholastic, 2003

Jed, an 8th grader, is dealing with the aftermath of his older brother’s death: his dad has renounced Judaism and thrown himself into work; his mom’s on leave from her job, but isn’t very present as a parent. Jed, meanwhile, is having a hard time speaking. When his English teacher tells the class to document their neighborhoods over winter break, it’s pretty obvious how this story’s going to unfold: the city itself, as it sometimes does, is going to help Jed figure things out. The details, though, aren’t as predictable as that might imply, and the details are what make this book pleasing. Mack captures the motion and character of the East Village: the bodegas and cafes, the dog run at Tompkins Square Park, water towers on all the roofs, the headquarters of the Hell’s Angels, the huge toy sculpture in the community garden on Avenue B. The dialogue is sometimes a little stilted, a little off, and there’s a graphic description of self-injury that made me squirm, but still, this was a pleasing quick read.