The Life and Times of Birdie Mae Hayes #1: The Gift by Jeri Anne Agee

My name is Birdie Mae Hayes. The biggest news in town is a new family is moving into old lady Miller's house, and Daddy's not too happy about it. He has the only grocery in town, but Peter Doolittle's daddy will be opening another one soon. My other big thing is still kind of a big secret, because I don't know what to think about it. I think I can tell the future. The first time it happened was when I got a stomachache, closed my eyes, and in my mind I saw Doyle Baker fall out of a tree. I tried to warn him, but the big dummy still went ahead and broke his foot. The visions have happened a couple more times, and I think something's wrong with me. I told my best friend Sally, but she just thinks it's pretty cool. I think it's weird, and I don't know if I'm ready for the responsibility.

This book can be read quickly, as it's written for readers who are younger than my blog's normal middle grade target audience. Birdie Mae is a likable character with the innocence of a young child living in a very small town. Bubba is her free-spirited, two-year-old brother, and he adds some cute humor to the events. All of the people, except for Birdie Mae's daddy, are looking forward to a bouncy house and pony rides set for the new grocery store's grand opening, and a Halloween party at the Doolittle's house is the talk of the town. Now that's small-town news! The plot doesn't have a dramatic conflict or climax, as I've described in the summary above. The major "problem" is Birdie Mae learning to accept her new ability. Although the story is simple, it's nice to read a story for a change that doesn't include any profanity, violence, or major complications. Overall, the author has created a fun story that can be enjoyed all young readers.