Gr 5-8 Hansen's familiarity with reading problems and young people is evident in her credible characters and lively dialogue that rings true. Doris, a black sixth grader, loses her best friend, Amir, when his foster parents place him in a group home. Missing her friend, Doris is absorbed in writing letters and a poem to Amir and in plotting ways to earn money to pay him a visit. However, Yellow Bird, whose silly antics make him the class clown, insists on claiming her attention, pleading with Doris to help him with his school work. Bird's reading problemdyslexiagoes unrecognized by teachers and administrators, and he is labeled as slow and disruptive. When tryouts for the new drama club reveal Yellow Bird's gift for acting and improvisation, Doris becomes determined to make others recognize Bird's real intelligence and talent. This perceptive sequel to The Gift-Giver (Clarion, 1980) stands successfully on its own. Deborah M. Locke, Westbrook High School, Maine