The Goldfinch is a really long book, you guys. And it's also still really popular, a year after publication (Pulitzer Prize winners tend to be in pretty high demand). So it took me a long time to get it on hold from the library. Which means I've had a heck of a week of reading, and I needed an easy post topic. So I'm listing some books with birds in the titles.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is one of those times where the bird in the title is a metaphor. Atticus Finch (hey, another bird!) tells his kids that hurting the innocent, misunderstood people would be a sin, like killing a mockingbird.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
You obviously know this one. Sure, the titular bird is fictional, but it's also metaphorical. The book is about the symbolic mockingjay, Katniss: a product of the Capitol interfering with the natural way of things.
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater
This is the first book I remember checking out of the library as a kid. There's a little fun fact about me. These birds are literal, unlike the previous two titles. I think this book appealed to me because I loved 101 Dalmatians, and this is like that, but with penguins.
The Pigeon books by Mo Willems
Mo Willems is the man. He does amazing work in the form of children's books, including his books about the pigeon. You shouldn't let the titular pigeon drive a bus, eat a hot dog, stay up late, or a number of other things. Just trust me.
"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
I'm a Virginian; I can't not include Poe here. And I love "The Raven"! This bird is both literal and metaphorical. There's a raven literally sitting in the room talking to the narrator - even though he only says "nevermore" - and he's also symbolic of all sorts of dark and sinister things. Check your Cliff's Notes, I'm sure it's in there.
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