How to Make a Bird
Encyclopedia
How to Make a Bird by Australian author Martine Murray
is a children's novel which centres on a young adolescent girl called Mannie. Mannie has faced a myriad of losses and challenges throughout her short life. Little by little they begin to make her question her identity. In order to escape her insecurities about who she is Mannie decides to embark on a journey of self-discovery, enlightenment and acceptance.
Loss :
Loss is explored thoroughly in the story and is most evident when Mannie loses a family member in a car accident.
Family breakdown :
This theme is apparent during the entire book as Mannie’s family is slowly reduced one family member at a time until she is only left with her grief stricken father.
Love :
The theme of love
is conveyed effectively when Mannie experiences her first romance with a boy. We see the impact this has on her life and challenges which follow the commencement of this relationship.
Acceptance :
During the novel Mannie faces a series of losses which she struggles to accept. After running away she makes several discoveries about not only herself but her family which allow her to finally accept her family member's death and absence from her life.
. It is in this town that Mannie grows up and faces various hardships. The other main setting is Melbourne
. This is where Mannie goes when she runs away.
Martine Murray
Martine Murray is an Australian author and illustrator, currently residing in Melbourne. She has written many critically acclaimed books, including How to Make a Bird, winner of the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards Young Adult award in 2004, and The Slightly True Story of Cedar B...
is a children's novel which centres on a young adolescent girl called Mannie. Mannie has faced a myriad of losses and challenges throughout her short life. Little by little they begin to make her question her identity. In order to escape her insecurities about who she is Mannie decides to embark on a journey of self-discovery, enlightenment and acceptance.
Themes
‘How to Make a Bird’ deals with many themes; however, the most prominent are those of loss, family breakdown, love, acceptance and identity.Loss :
Loss is explored thoroughly in the story and is most evident when Mannie loses a family member in a car accident.
Family breakdown :
This theme is apparent during the entire book as Mannie’s family is slowly reduced one family member at a time until she is only left with her grief stricken father.
Love :
The theme of love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
is conveyed effectively when Mannie experiences her first romance with a boy. We see the impact this has on her life and challenges which follow the commencement of this relationship.
Acceptance :
During the novel Mannie faces a series of losses which she struggles to accept. After running away she makes several discoveries about not only herself but her family which allow her to finally accept her family member's death and absence from her life.
Setting
How to Make a Bird is set in a variety of locations. One of the primary places in which the story takes place is a small country town somewhere near Castlemaine and Harcourt in VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. It is in this town that Mannie grows up and faces various hardships. The other main setting is Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. This is where Mannie goes when she runs away.