Betty and Joe McCloud celebrate the long awaited arrival of their baby girl years after they have given up hope of a family. Piper is a perfect baby until the day when she rolls off the kitchen table and does not crash to the floor. Instead she floats in the air. This is just the beginning. Piper can fly. Piper loves to fly. Piper tries to fly at every opportunity. Betty is a no nonsense woman. She know the people of Lowland County, especially Millie Mae the town gossip, will not tolerate difference or the unexplained so Piper is kept safe at home. (Listen to this audio sample) She does not mix with the other children from the town, she is not sent to school and it is only at Church each Sunday that anyone ever sees her. Everything is okay but of course Piper longs for a friend. Finally Betty announces they will attend the annual Fourth of July Picnic. The day goes really well except Piper discovers the other kids don't want to be her friend. Piper has promised her Ma and Pa she will not disgrace them at the picnic. She will not fly but everything goes wrong during the kids baseball game and Piper cannot help herself. The ball is heading her way:
"Piper's entire body was tingling before she could even think straight. There wasn't a doubt in her mind what she was going to do. She was going to catch that ball and show them all."
Word of this event spreads to the world media and to the authorities and within days Dr Hellion arrives at the farm.
"I am the director of an institute that specialises in providing assistance to people, much like youselves, who find themselves in ... difficult situations."
There is a clue early on, though, that the offer of help from Dr Hellion might not be quite what it seems. "Dr Hellion produced an official-looking identification card." Here you can sense the power of one word official-looking - not official?
Betty and Joe agree Piper can go with Dr Hellion to her special school. When Piper arrives, you may be thinking as I was, that this place is not going to help Piper - it is some sort of underground prison. Why is the food so delicious, why is school so boring, why are these others kids here and what about that beautiful silver giraffe?
I first read this book in 2009 but the story has lingered with me and so last week when I spied it in the Book Bunker at Westmead Children's hospital I grabbed it with both hands. I have put the new and older covers above. I read this book late into the night and I was not disappointed. I had forgotten some small plot details but the essence of the story was still a strong memory. I think mature readers aged 11+ will enjoy this book. The publisher say 9+ but I found the torture scene where Dr Hellion tries to break the spirit of Piper exceptionally harrowing. Click this review for more plot details:
I am excited to discover this book is still available in paperback and for a good price and that there are two sequels from the series now called Piper McCloud and great news for me my local library does have the second book:
I would pair this book with:
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