Chasing Redbird

“Intriguing, delightful, and touching.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

“Creech’s best yet.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

It started out as an ordinary summer. But the minute thirteen-year-old Zinny discovered the old, overgrown trail that ran through the woods behind her family’s house, she realized that things were about to change.

It was her chance to finally make people notice her, and to have a place she could call her very own. But more than that, Zinny knew that the trail somehow held the key to all kinds of questions. And that the only way to understand her family, her Aunt Jessie’s death, and herself, was to find out where it went.

From Newbery Medal-winning author Sharon Creech comes a story of love, loss, and understanding, an intricately woven tale of a young girl who sets out in search of her place in the world—and discovers it in her own backyard.

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults

For Zinny, clearing the trail is the only way to make sense of the past—and find her own way forward.
A Journey of Self-Discovery: Feeling lost in her big family, thirteen-year-old Zinny Taylor sets out to clear an overgrown trail, hoping to finally carve out a place that is all her own.Grief and Healing: The trail holds the key to understanding the recent death of her beloved Aunt Jessie, forcing Zinny to confront the complicated feelings of love, loss, and guilt that she’s kept buried.A Captivating Mystery: As Zinny uncovers the path, she also uncovers long-hidden family truths that connect her own life to the past in ways she never expected.A Heartfelt Middle Grade Novel: A beautifully written story perfect for young readers ages 8-12 who love emotional and character-driven fiction about finding your place in the world.