Back by Sunrise: Standalone (E-Book)

A Middle Grade Fantasy. Age Level: 8 and up.

Brooke's worries are nearly forgotten when she discovers a mysterious necklace and a note that reads "Be back by sunrise," accompanied by magic that turns her into a bird.

At first this seems like a wonderful adventure. She flies off to meet many charming characters, such as Roy, a bird that shows her the ropes, and Timmy, a mouse that reminds her of the importance of family. She encounters a few bad eggs as well. Take Trollay for instance, a carnivorous raven who is scheming to undermine Brooke's reunion with her family and take her necklace for himself with the help of his minion pigeons.

The adventures take a turn for the worse when Brooke fails to heed the note's warning and does not make it back to her room by sunrise and she isn't able to transform back into a little girl! Even worse, Trollay manages to steal her necklace, leading to a series of events that force Brooke to make some very grownup decisions about what, and who, she truly wants to be.

In the end, Back by Sunrise illustrates a thoughtful coming of age story which shows how a child might interpret, and subsequently deal with, loss when tragedy suddenly strikes.