Blackbird Fly - Hardcover

"[A] delightful debut . . . What sets Kelly's book apart is the combination of a quirky narrator and details about living in a first-generation Filipino American household. . . . Through her love of music . . . Apple starts to soar like the eponymous blackbird of her favorite Beatles song."--Los Angeles Times Book Review

"A smart, sensitive, and resilient heroine who is authentic and relatable in her strengths and imperfections. This poignant novel would make for a particularly fine readaloud; expect visceral reactions . . . This is a must-read for those kids cringing at their own identities."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Kelly skillfully weaves together the story of misfit Apple, her love of music, and a budding romance with a new boy at school, while never losing focus on the central issue of what it is like to be the 'other.'"--Booklist

"Each character in Kelly's debut novel . . . is portrayed with remarkable authenticity. The awkwardness and intense feelings inherent to middle school are palpable. Children's literature has been waiting for Apple Yengko--a strong, Asian-American girl whose ethnic identity simultaneously complicates and enriches her life."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Will resonate with any student in middle school who has felt different and ostracized. The author has skillfully captured the various characters that populate Apple's . . . school."--School Library Journal (starred review)

"Writing with acute sensitivity and sometimes painful realism, debut novelist Kelly skillfully captures the betrayals, tentative first crushes, and fluctuating emotions of middle school ... a true triumph."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)