Bird in a Cage

Rebecca Roher’s grandmother, Mary, suffered a brain injury when she was hit by a car, and life quickly went downhill from there. Her mind wandered, and sometimes she wandered physically, and her family struggled to deal with it. Now, stuck in a nice group home, Mary seems to be getting ready to die, and her family gathers around her and remembers the impact she had on all of their lives. Bird in a Cage is Roher’s tribute to her grandma, a graphic novel that is full of love and pride and will immerse readers into the childhoods of several generations in the family. The simple black and white illustrations convey more emotion than is apparent at first, while the simple words tell the story of this woman’s graceful exit from life. Readers will love reading about how trips to the lakeside cabin influenced everyone, and the family’s love of song shines through all over the place, no doubt inspiring tears in the eyes of some readers. This is a beautiful book that manages to take a sad subject and instead turn it into something wonderful.