Birdie: an 'essential story' about an Aboriginal woman in Canada

Morning North6:27Canada Reads - Birdie by Tracey Lindberg - local analysis

We asked five people from the Greater Sudbury Public Library to read one of the books in this year's Canada Reads competition. Community library programmer Tammy DeAmicis read Birdie by Tracey Lindberg and shared her take on the book.

Canada Reads 2016 is all about starting over. All five books in this annual CBC book contest centre on themes of transformation and second chances; stories about people choosing — or being forced to choose — a dramatically different course in life.

Tammy Deamicis, the community library programmer for the New Sudbury and South End branches, read Birdie by Tracey Lindberg, and provides this reflection:

"There are so many themes of starting over in this book.  Birdie's path from young girl to a woman, her search for and letting go of childhood dreams and her choice of leaving behind her birth family to go forward with her chosen support system all resonated with me in some way. I think it is essential that we learn the stories of aboriginal women in Canada.

Everyone has different ways of dealing with stressful situations.  Like Birdie, I turn inward when there is a crisis or major event in my life. I basically hibernate by myself to reflect on what I need to do to make the situation OK for me.

At 55 years old, I have had many starting over stories — homes, families, relationships and careers.  Each change leaves you with a bit of sadness for what you have left behind, but also a chance to rebuild who and what you want yourself to be."