The Barrett family lost Caleb, their youngest, to a drowning. They began playing music to assuage their grief, and for many years now they have been on the road, playing country music around the country. Bird, at sixteen, is the youngest; she plays fiddle and backup vocals. When her father, their lead singer, falls ill one evening, Bird takes over for him. Her talent is recognized by a scout, and Bird is offered a contract. However, the contract is for a solo artist, not a family band. Complicating things is Bird's relationship with Adam, her brothers' friend, who also happens to be in a country artist on the same circuit. She would like the relationship to progress, but recording an album and promoting it inevitably creates more problems than it resolves. Her relationships with her brothers, Jacob and Dylan, are also changing as the family band disintegrates.Told in the first-person from Bird's perspective, Whitaker fully fleshes out her characters, and Bird's rise to music stardom is well chronicled, providing an insider's view of the music industry and some of the challenges musicians face trying to "break in." Bird's friendships and relationships with Adam and her family are respectful and wholesome, making this an appropriate read even for middle schoolers. The first in a series, Wildflower includes lyrics and sheet music for Bird's hit. Fans of Whitaker's Queen of Kentucky (Little, Brown, 2012) and of Sarah Dessen's books will enjoy Bird's rise to country stardom.Etienne Vallee.This book is very relatable, showing a two-sided perspective of fame. The only drawback is the lack of closure provided at the end, maybe due to a possible sequel. This book is a very enjoyable read. 4Q, 4P.Elizabeth Mills, Teen Reviewer.

Sixteen-year-old Bird Barrett plays fiddle in her family's bluegrass band, but when she steps up to sing lead vocals, she's quickly offered a recording contract and swept into the country-music spotlight. Whitaker navigates the world of music and publicity with ease, leading Bird through a series of personal crises made to order for fans of Nashville and promising more drama in the sequel.

Bird Barrett is named after Lady Bird Johnson, yet the name fits her in other ways, too-she has a gorgeous voice, and when she plays fiddle with her family-s bluegrass band, her fingers fly. Bird loves writing and playing music, and traveling the country with her parents and two brothers, squeezed tight in their RV, moving from one show to the next-especially when their paths cross with fellow country singer, Adam Dean. When Bird steps in to sing lead one night, everything changes. Suddenly, record deals are on the table, but signing could mean giving up playing with the Barrett Family Band. Whitaker (The Queen of Kentucky) has a knack for evoking the feel of a live performance-both the atmosphere of the venue and what it-s like to play on stage. She-s created a winning protagonist in Bird and given her a life that-s unusual, a fascinating career, plenty of struggles to overcome, and a comforting and supportive family, even when they disagree. Fans of shows like Nashville will fly through this like Bird on her fiddle. Ages 12-up. (July)

Gr 7-10 This middle-class African-American family is at odds. Mom and Pop argue over everything: what 14-year-old Chelsea wears, who she goes out with, and the fact that Mom talks to Grandmother and Grandmother doesn't like Pop. On top of that, Mom is reluctant to support Pop in his dream of buying the garage where he works as a mechanic. Pop is on Chelsea's every move with immature, inappropriate rants, and no one ever addresses his abusive behavior. Know-it-all Jarris, old and wise beyond his 16 years, has advice for everyone on what they should do and sides with Pop on Chelsea's attire, helping her to see the light. And what exactly is the issue? She wears short shorts and skimpy tops, and has some minor connections with a bad boy. Jarris worries about Mom and Pop getting divorced, what is going on with his friends at school, and generally everyone else's business. There isn't much action or development in between the boring moralistic and high-handed harangues directed at Chelsea, aka the "Wildflower." Amy Cheney, Alameda County Library, Oakland, CA