A Rare Bird

A joyful and moving novel about family bounds and the power of friendship.

Hilla’s parents are divorced, and she lives between three different homes: her father’s, mother’s, and grandmother’s homes. Soon she’ll be twelve years old and has to choose with whom she wants to live.

Hilla gets to know Bubo, a new pupil in her class and quite an atypical guy: he pretends that his father is a snowy owl. He suggests that they spy on Hilla’s parents and grandmother to help her make her choice. But the spying isn’t just a game, and they encounter many surprises. Hilla’s grandmother isn’t all that well and gets tired and confused more easily. What if she can’t take care of Hilla anymore?

While it seems that her mother isn’t doing anything special, it also turns out that Hilla’s mother has a boyfriend! And Hilla’s father, who can’t cook anything and sits in front of the computer all day, starts cooking in secret. But even Bubo has his own issues with a mother driving him into loneliness.

Hilla and Bubo’s friendship will be put to the test several times, but they will learn from it and grow – and they will learn to make themselves heard to their parents.