Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting

Controversial?  I have a hard time seeing it.  To me, Fly Away Home, is a piece of realistic fiction that depicts, a very sad, yet very valid reality for some children in America.  I can see where some people might think that the sadness is too much for young children, but chances are that one or more students in a classroom have dealt with homelessness first hand.  I liked this book because it showed homelessness from the child’s perspective.  I felt like the author had really done her homework because the boy’s day-to-day life seems very believable.  Also, I liked how the sadness of the story was contrasted with the great love and dedication the father had to his son.  I think there are a lot of messages ringing through this book that make people slightly uncomfortable but accurate, such as hard work doesn’t necessarily guarantee the basic necessities of life.  I have difficulty understanding how someone would want to shelter children from the realistic sadness of this book.  I believe exposure to these issues teaches children compassion and understanding for their fellow human beings. 
            I will definitely be using this book in my classroom.  I think it would be great to use with a unit on family or homes.  Also, this would be a great book to tackle the issue of poverty in the classroom because it presents homeless in a way that is not horrific.  After reading this book, children will need ample time to discuss and process what happened in the story and what feelings were ignited within themselves.  Also, I would reread this book and focus on how the characters are coping and what each of the characters value.  I think this is important to do because children may have negative stereotypes in their minds about people without a home, such as being criminals or being dirty, and focusing on these positive aspects could foster compassion and dispel negative images.  For older children, it would be great to use this book as a lead in to a discussion on local poverty issues.  It is important that kids realize that homelessness is a real phenomenon that many people face in their own community.  Possibly as a class project, students could engage in activities that address homelessness, such as a food drive or a public awareness campaign. 
Year Published:  1993          Illustrator: Ronald Himler