On a Wing and a Tear
by Cynthia L Smith (Author)
A living legend roosting in the backyard. An unmissable game. A hair-raising mystery. A road trip full of adventure and danger. And all the overlapping circles that connect us throughout Creation.
Melanie "Mel" Roberts and Ray Halfmoon may be from different Indigenous Nations, but the friends have become like siblings since the Robertses moved in with the Halfmoons. And they soon welcome a distinguished guest: Great-grandfather Bat, whose wing is injured, has taken refuge in their old oak tree.A rematch of the legendary Great Ball Game is coming up, with Bat as the star player. Grampa Charlie Halfmoon offers to drive Bat from Chicago down to the traditional playing field outside Macon, Georgia, and Mel and Ray are determined to help out.
Together, they all set off on a road trip--facing adventure, danger, and a hair-raising mystery--on the way to the historic game.
With loving care and boisterous humor, acclaimed author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee) tells a modern folklore story about friendship, embracing the unexpected, and all the overlapping circles that connect us throughout Creation. Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo, Brian Young, and Elana K. Arnold!
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Kirkus
A unique and noteworthy tale that weaves together past and present with humor through stellar, multilayered writing.
Publishers Weekly
"Over eight hundred human generations ago," the Animals participated in the Great Ball Game, a match between the Birds and the Mammals to determine who was better. After the Birds rejected Great-Grandfather Bat, he joined the Mammals and led them to victory. When a rematch is announced, Bat--"the original, the bat who carries the mantle of winged-rodent sports history"--must find a way to get from Chicago's Albany Park, where he's healing from a torn wing, to the Cherokee playing field near Macon, Ga., that doesn't involve flying. He turns to his elderly Cherokee and Seminole friend Charlie Halfmoon, who--along with his grandson Ray, Ray's friend Mel, and their neighbor Gray Squirrel--agrees to chauffeur Bat to the game. During their journey, they encounter myriad obstacles, including a pair of vloggers determined to kidnap Bat. Muscogee author Smith (Harvest House) expertly incorporates characters from previous books into this lightly magical standalone tale. Combining humor, suspense, and a quiet reverence for one's ancestry, Smith examines how the power of community can affect emotional and physical healing, and the strength it takes to do both. Ages 8-12. Agent: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown. (Sept.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
School Library Journal
The book isn’t an “age-old traditional story” but pays tribute to Muscogee storytelling...this is an adventure story at its heart. Hand to fans of Kate DiCamillo or Katherine Applegate.
— School Library Journal
ALA/Booklist
Similar in spirit to Nic Stone’s Clean Getaway (2020), this book will appeal to fans of road-trip novels and character driven stories.
Review quotes
JUV006000 - Juvenile Fiction | Business, Careers, Occupations
JUV031030 - Juvenile Fiction | Performing Arts | Film
