Bird Page 10

  I flew over the lake that night, neither blown off course nor caught in the currents, but safe in the wake of the captain’s wings and not far from the reach of Farley’s hand.

  By the light of a rising moon and with the promise of finding those like myself, we safely reached the western shore.

  acknowledgments

  The author would like to thank the Vermont Community Foundation, Marc Bregman, Howard Fisher, Michael Fisher, Tom Murphy, Tassos Pappas, Kate Pietschman and Françoise Bui for their support, encouragement and inspiration in the writing of this book.

  about the author

  Rita Murphy lives in Vermont with her husband and their son. Her previous novels are Looking for Lucy Buick, Harmony, Black Angels, and Night Flying.

  ALSO BY RITA MURPHY

  Looking for Lucy Buick

  Harmony

  Black Angels

  Night Flying

  Published by Delacorte Press

  an imprint of Random House Children’s Books

  a division of Random House, Inc., New York

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2008 by Rita Murphy

  All rights reserved.

  Delacorte Press and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  www.randomhouse.com/teens

  Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools,

  visit us at www.randomhouse.com/teachers

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Murphy, Rita.

  Bird / Rita Murphy. — 1st ed. p. cm.

  Summary: Miranda, a small, delicate girl easily carried off by the wind, lands at Bourne Manor on the coast of Lake Champlain and is raised by the dour Wysteria Barrows, but she begins to believe rumors that the Manor is cursed and, aided by a new friend and kites secreted in an attic, seeks to escape.

  [1. Dwellings—Fiction. 2. Supernatural—Fiction. 3. Flight—Fiction. 4. Kites—Fiction. 5. Foundlings—Fiction. 6. Champlain, Lake—History—19th century—Fiction. 7. Vermont—History—19th century—Fiction.] I.Title.

  PZ7.M9549Bir 2008 [Fic]—dc22 2008004690

  Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.

  eISBN: 978-0-375-89113-7

  v3.0