Growing Wings

In Laurel Winter's 'Growing Wings,' eleven-year-old Linnet begins to grow a pair of auburn wings, a mysterious development that forces her to confront her mother's strange behavior and a long-held family secret. Her mother, Sarah, is a 'cutwing,' having had her own wings removed in her youth, and struggles with how to guide Linnet. The novel follows Linnet's journey of self-discovery, fear, and ultimately, acceptance, as she finds a remote community in Montana where others with wings, or who once had them, gather. It's a poignant and suspenseful story about identity, family trauma, and finding belonging, perfect for middle schoolers navigating their own changes.

When wings start to appear on her back, eleven-year-old Linnet begins to understand some of her mother's strange behavior, but it isn't until she finds herself at a remote house in Montana with others who also have--or had--wings that she can really come to terms with her situation.