Fame and Glory In Freedom, Georgia

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Summary: Life lessons in Freedon, Georgia
Review: Harlem Tate is new to Freedom, Georgia and nobody at school seems to want to be his friend except for Burdette "Bird" Weaver. Bird doesn't have any school friends either and when she sees Harlem she thinks it is a "stroke of luck". Bird wants to make him a friend "before somebody poisons his mind with lies about" her. But before she can convince him to be her friend, she hears that the annual state spelling bee is coming up and the winners of the spelling bee will earn a trip to Disney World. To be noticed and to visit Disney World are two goals Bird wants to accomplish more than anything. Bird thinks winning the spelling bee just might be the way to realize her goals but she needs to have a partner. Can she convince Harlem to be her partner and eventually her friend? Befriending Harlem and convincing him to be her parnter is a bit harder than she anticipates. With help from Miss Delphine, Bird's next-door neighbor and best friend, Harlem agrees to be Bird's spelling bee partner. Bird may just be on her way to realizing all her dreams.
This is an endearing book, which illustrates the quiet strength and courage of a young girl who listened to herself rather than other people. A young girl saw the worth in a person even when society ridiculed and turned their back on that person. This book is a reminder to us all, no matter how young or old, that we each possess gifts of compassion, love and friendship and when we share those gifts with others we transform lives including our own.

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Summary: Bird's Journey to Fame
Review: The story of Burdette Weaver (Bird) and her journey to find what is truly meaningful to her. She learns people around her are not always kind to her and others. She thinks if she finds a way to get famous people will like her for who she really is. She is the kid at school who is frequently picked on and she tries to come up with ways to keep the other kids from hurting her feelings. If she could just get Harlem Tate to be her friend maybe together they could come up with a way to get the "Fame and Glory" they deserve in Freedom, Georgia. Read this cute chapter book about the struggles of Bird and her friend and see the awesome lesson they learn together.