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Type of bind: Paperback
EAN num: 9780064406963
ISBN number: 0064406962
Label: HarperCollins
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 272
Printing Date: March 31, 1998
Publishing house: HarperCollins
Age index: Ages 9-12
Release Date: February 14, 1998
Sale Popularity Level: 69227
Studio: HarperCollins
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
It started out as an ordinary summer. But the minute thirteen-year-old Zinny covered the old, overgrown trail that ran through the woods behind her family's house, she realized that things were about to change.
Right from the start, Zinny knew that uncovering the trail would be more than just a summer project. 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 the author of the Newbery Medal-winning Walk Two Moons, here is 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.
Amazon.com Review:
Always the quiet (and often forgotten) middle child in a bustling family, Zinnia's life begins to change when she stumbles upon a hidden, overgrown pathway that stretches from the edge of her family's farm into the great unknown. Determined to find where the path leads, Zinnia begins the daunting task of uncovering brambles and weeds along every inch of its length. In powerful, honest, down-home prose, Newbery-winner Sharon Creech delivers a dazzling portrait of a girl who's not afraid to journey into her family's mysterious past in order to find her own way into adulthood. Watching Zinnia bloom will warm your heart.
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Rated by buyers 
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this is such a superb children book...
adults will also enjoy it tremondously............
it has suspense, humour and also some spooky stuff........
though i dont think i understood the story clearly....
it still is a great read and fun and unpredictable................
Rated by buyers -
Do you ever need a place of your own, somewhere where people aren't asking who you are all the time? One hot summer day I, a little four year old girl, was in the park walking around and I found a "hidden" trail, I went into it and I thought it was the most magical place in the world. I wanted to keep it all to myself. This is just like Zinny Taylour who lives on a farm in Bybanks, Kentucky. She stumbles on an overgrown trail, and is determined to have it all to herself, just like me. I never kept that trail to myself, I forgot about it the subsequent week, but what will Zinny do? Chasing Redbird by Sharon Creech grabs you and pulls you in, to make you feel like you are in the overwhelming life of Zinny Taylor; it has a great plot, it's exciting and it keeps you wanting to continue flipping the pages.
Chasing Redbird is a book the author probably wrote for kids, ages nine through fourteen who like adventure, a little romance, and suspense. IF you like comedy or horror this isn't for you. Sharon Creech stays consistent with her audience; she doesn't switch it up on you. This book fiction because it isn't a true story or historical, it is pretty realistic but some parts of it just wouldn't happen. This book is similar to books in this genre but it also has it' won special qualities.
The Taylor's, a big family, live on a beautiful farm in Bybanks, Kentucky, where birds sin, crickets chirp, turtles fall in love, Uncle Nate runs around whacking at snakes and chasing his redbird, and all the kids scream and play. Zinny is a middle child and doesn't have the cuteness of her younger brothers or the prettiness of her older sisters. All the boys use her to get to her sister, May, so when Jake Boone comes to town and says he cares about Zinny not May, should Zinny believe him or is he just another "Tommy Salami"? Zinny is looking for a quiet place to think one day and she discovers an overgrown trail that she is committed to clear. Will she be able to finish the job without her family taking over her trail, and what will she uncover about herself while in her own magical place?
Chasing Redbird is a similar to the book Castle Corona. In both of these novels the main character is trying to make a path for themselves, mot the one they are expected to follow. On their path the characters find more questions and more mysteries to solve, rather than finding the answers they were looking for right away. As they say, "things have to get worse before they get better." One difference between the books is that in Chasing Redbird Zinny has a loving family, while in Castle Corona the characters are pretty much orphans.
When Sharon Creech writes this story she portrays the setting very clearly, so you feel like you are in Bybanks. She is an artist who uses a pen instead of a paintbrush and words instead of paint. For example, "People around here say that you can slip up into those hills and wander for days, weeks, months, and not see another living soul. They say there are places back in the hills that have never been trodden on by human feet." You feel the hurt and happiness that the characters feel; you are in the book. But you don't watch from afar, you are right in the middle of the action. Also the book is unique; it has its own special style, and plot. In many books the character has to solve a problem they complete the task, and then they fall in love with someone and have a happily ever after, but this is different. I don't know how to explain it, maybe I'm just crazy and don't know what I'm talking about but that's how I would describe the difference. Chasing Redbird keeps you on the edge of your seat; you don't know what is coming. The one downside to this book is that it doesn't grab you in the very first sentence, it takes three or four pages but when you get there it's like, "Wow, this book is amazing."
In conclusion, the thrilling tale for Chasing Redbird is enjoyable and a great read. If you like a little bit of everything- mystery, action, romance, suspense- this would be a great book for you. You'll read it, love it and then recommend it!
Rated by buyers -
Although this novel was written for young people, I enjoyed it immensely, and I am 50 years old. It is far better than I expected. I happened to come across it while looking at the bookstore for stories for my 10 yr. old son to read. I knew he wouldn't read it, but being intrigued by the back cover synopsis, I bought it for myself and am glad I did. The author, while keeping the storyline at the appropriate age level intended, still brought such a depth of maturity to the prose that I was moved to tears at several points throughout the story. The author's understanding of how to evoke real emotion and grab the reader's heart is extraordinary. Believe me, this is not simply a story about how a girl uncovers a walking trail in her backyard. It is a tender portrayal about her life relationships--the trail being the tie that binds together her quest of self discovery and meaning.
The novel is also full of beautiful symbolism that I was able to interpret in different ways, such as near the end of the story when chicory plants are found growing in the children's garden, where the children were growing their own flowers and vegetables to eat. The legend was that a lady was turned into this blue-flowering plant, because she rejected the sun god's love. The flowers of this plant close up at noon, ignoring the sun's bright rays. It was also said if you fed its seeds to someone, you could get them to love you. It was endearing, then, to discover that Zinny's father had planted the chicory, because all through the story Zinny seems much closer to her uncle than to her own father, who did dearly love her, although Zinny didn't think so. So, I saw the chicory symbolizing Zinny, who also kept rejecting the love of her young devoted admirer, Jake.
The opening chapters did not quite capture my attention at first, but I pressed on and at around Chapter 7 (there are 46 short chapters), I was so engrosed I could not put it down and finished it within a couple of hours. All in all, a very heart-warming and stirring read sure to be a hit especially with young girls, whom I think will just adore the boyfriend, Jake. He is sweet and loving, but with a little "bad-boy" edge.
I intend to re-read "Chasing Redbird" often. I may even give a go at reading it to my son, after all. It will certainly stay on my shelf as a keeper.
Rated by buyers 
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I don't like very first person or simple sentences, so I went into this story expecting to hate it. There have been very few required books I've enjoyed; to my shock, this became one of them.
It is a slow-moving story, and little about it makes sense, but I found myself wanting to finish it to find out what happened.
This book is odd; I could not figure out what time period it's set in, and that got on my nerves. However, it is certainly not the worst book I've ever read.
Rated by buyers 
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Chasing Redbird Sparked Fireworks
I absolutely loved this book. It has everything in it: action, mystery, and a little romance. The cover may look strange, but you should never judge a book by its cover. This book may start to make you think a little different or how you view the world or the people around you. This book also has lots of detail if you really love it.
Zinny is a young girl who is outspoken by her big family, who doesn't really give a hoot about her. She has lots of siblings who have nothing in common with her, and she doesn't really get any alone time with her parents, so they don't really know anything about her. But she does have an uncle to whom she is very close to almost like another father. Zinny doesn't have her best friend to talk to, an aunt who she misses a lot, a normal uncle and a childhood cousin which she used to play with and act like sisters. When Zinny finds a hidden trail in her backyard it could change her whole life, maybe even her family's also. This book does have a twist though, Zinny's sister May always gets the boys attention; but this time Zinny gets it. The boy gives Zinny lots of presents with each one getting better everyday, but they may get them both in trouble.
Those were just some of the events in this book. So take my word and check this book out for yourself.
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