The Aviary in Mock Newbery 2026

Dec 15, 2011 Wendy rated it liked it

Shelves: 2011-award-possibilities

I might have rated this five stars if I'd read it as a kid. It shares things in common, thematically and in setting and somewhat in plot, with many favorite books--The Diamond in the Window, and The Secret of the Strawbridge Place, and Time at the Top, and The House with the Clock in its Walls, and oh, any book with kids in a big old house, even Gone-Away Lake, especially those with elements of fantasy. But thinking of all these masterpieces of children's literature serves only to put this book' I might have rated this five stars if I'd read it as a kid. It shares things in common, thematically and in setting and somewhat in plot, with many favorite books--The Diamond in the Window, and The Secret of the Strawbridge Place, and Time at the Top, and The House with the Clock in its Walls, and oh, any book with kids in a big old house, even Gone-Away Lake, especially those with elements of fantasy. But thinking of all these masterpieces of children's literature serves only to put this book's weaknesses on display: a less-than-convincing voice and overlong narrative. Once I realized what was going on here, the book started to drag. The climax and ending reminded me of the movies Speed and The Fugitive: you think it is over, but then there is just more movie before it ends again. There's a great deal of bumbling around and "if it weren't for those dumb kids" stuff. A couple of subplots could have been done away with entirely. My edition had, I think, 337 pages, not the 200+ listed in the description.

As for that unconvincing voice: the protagonist is a girl who has never met any other children, raised in a household consisting of her mother, a middle-aged cook, and an elderly lady. I get that. I understand her speech would be weird and formal. But somehow it just did not feel real to me; SHE did not feel real, to the extent that halfway through the book I read a reference to "Clara" and thought "wait, who is Clara?". Clara is the name of the protagonist.

Speaking of her never meeting any other children: for a book with a lot of discussion about who is wack, I did not feel it adequately addressed the fact that her mother is totally crazy for telling her she has a heart condition and keeping her locked in the house with brief visits to the yard only. That is certifiable and also child abuse. Even worse than, say, Colin in The Secret Garden. It edges toward Flowers in the Attic territory.

Also, while I normally complain about historical fiction of this day and age being way too over-the-top with historical references in order to create a You Are There atmosphere, I thought this one might have gone too far the other direction. There wasn't a whole lot to convince me it was really happening in the... what, late 1800s? Early 1900s? Right in there. ...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Kris rated it really liked it

This book has appeared on every Newbery watch list I have seen. The cover caught my attention when it came in to the library. The bright green, the stark silhouette and the creepy font alert this is not just any book. The Aviary by Kathleen O’Dell is full of suspense and surprises. There is magic and secrets all kept in an old crumbling mansion. Outside on the grounds is an aviary full of birds that frighten Clara. Her mother is the housekeeper to Mrs. Glendoveer, the widow of a famous magician ...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Teresa Garrett rated it really liked it

Shelves: middle-grade, fantasy, historical-fiction, mystery

Clara and her mother live in a decaying old mansion tending to the elderly Mrs. Glendoveer until her death. In the yard is an impressive aviary full of exotic birds which Clara, her mother, and the housekeeper are supposed to care for even after Mrs. Glendoveer is gone. Clara longs for a normal life outside of the house but her mother keeps her confined to the house due to a mysterious illness. Mrs. Glendoveer leaves Clara her journal/scrapbook which puts her right in the middle of the family my ...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Shannon rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2011

First mock Newbery book I've been unable to put down. What is it with magicians and circuses lately? ...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Katharine rated it liked it

Shelves: youth, mystery

cute magical murder mystery for middle-graders. 9-13 years oldish.

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Sep 11, 2011 Donalyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: ncbla-committee-2012-books, children-s-fantasy

I found this a gentle, innocent book that will appeal to many young readers who don't want to jump into another fantasy series or read about paranormal romance. The fonts of the letters found in Mrs. Glendoveer's belongings were hard to read, but I blame my old eyes... ...more

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