The Aviary: Kathleen O'Dell

     Eleven-year-old Clara Dooley has no friends.  She has never seen past the boundaries of the household she resides in, due to a heart defect she developed as a child.  Her mother is the keeper of the Glendoveer Mansion, where they live in relative quiet.  The aviary outside, however, is usually far from silent.  How much trouble could a pack of old performance birds be?

   Slowly, Clara's well-kept life begins to unravel.  The details surrounding this old mansion are constantly elusive.  Clara  goes in search of answers about the mysterious deaths of the Glendoveer children, and finds out more than she bargained for.

     This novel is extremely well-done.  I would recommend it for middle grade ages, due to some scary content.  This is, after all, a murder mystery.

Grade Level: 4.7