Nonfiction

Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future

Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future

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  • Create Date：2023-04-04 03:19:32
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Mya-Rose Craig
  • ISBN：1250807670
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Summary

Birder， environmentalist and activist Mya-Rose Craig is an international force。 In her moving memoir， Birdgirl， she chronicles her mother’s struggle with mental illness， and shares her passion for social justice and fierce dedication to preserving our planet。

Meet Mya-Rose – otherwise known as “Birdgirl。” In her words: “Birdwatching has never felt like a hobby， or a pastime I can pick up and put down， but a thread running through the pattern of my life， so tightly woven in that there’s no way of pulling it free and leaving the rest of my life intact。”

Birdgirl follows Mya-Rose and her family as they travel the world in search of rare birds and astonishing landscapes。 But a shadow moves with them， too—her mother's deepening mental health crisis。 In the face of this struggle， the Craigs turn to nature again and again for comfort and meaning。

Each bird they see brings a moment of joy and reflection， instilling in Mya-Rose a deep love of the natural world。 But Mya-Rose has also seen first-hand the reckless destruction we are inflicting on our fragile planet， as well as the pervasive racism infecting every corner of the world， leading her to campaign for Black， Indigenous， people of color。

Joining the fight of today's young environmental activists， Mya-Rose shares her experiences to advocate for the simple， profound gift of nature， and for making it accessible to all， calling her readers to rediscover the power of our natural world。
Birder， activist， daughter: this is her story。

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Reviews

Kelley ，

This started out really strong。 I really enjoyed reading her background and about her big year and how the bird watching helped her family， especially with her mom dealing with mental illness but at some point it started to just drag on and felt fairly repetitive。 There were some interesting parts throughout， especially with her advocacy but I just felt like I was too in the weeds with all the descriptions and details。 It does make me want to pay more attention to birds now！ She is a very impres This started out really strong。 I really enjoyed reading her background and about her big year and how the bird watching helped her family， especially with her mom dealing with mental illness but at some point it started to just drag on and felt fairly repetitive。 There were some interesting parts throughout， especially with her advocacy but I just felt like I was too in the weeds with all the descriptions and details。 It does make me want to pay more attention to birds now！ She is a very impressive young woman and all of her accomplishments are too。 Thank you to Celadon for an advanced copy。 Opinions are my own 。。。more

Pat ，

Author Mya-Rose Craig was raised in Bristol， England， by parents who were involved with the hobby of "twitching"--a new term for me--to describe birdwatching to an almost obsessive level。 Craig grew up shuttling across the country， as well as seven continents， to catch sight of rare birds， observing over 5，000 birds by the time she was a teenager。 She also chronicles her mother's severe bipolar mental illness in her memoir in a poignant way and her struggles with diagnosis， medications， and trea Author Mya-Rose Craig was raised in Bristol， England， by parents who were involved with the hobby of "twitching"--a new term for me--to describe birdwatching to an almost obsessive level。 Craig grew up shuttling across the country， as well as seven continents， to catch sight of rare birds， observing over 5，000 birds by the time she was a teenager。 She also chronicles her mother's severe bipolar mental illness in her memoir in a poignant way and her struggles with diagnosis， medications， and treatments。 I could feel Mya's joy as she describes the thrill of filling her bird list with exciting sightings of birds such as hummingbirds and eagles， etc， and then the confusion she felt living with a mentally ill mother。 Finally Mya shares in her memoir her resolve to work against the threats of climate change that threaten both bird habitats and our future。 If you are a bird lover， a naturalist， or care for our environment， you will enjoy reading "Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future。" Thank you to Celadon Books for an ARC paperback of this book！ 。。。more

Nursebookie ，

TITLE: BIRD GIRL: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better FutureAUTHOR: Mya-Rose Craig PUB DATE: 03。28。2023 Now AvailableAGE 14 Founded an organization to engage teens of color with natureAGE 17 Received an honorary Doctorate from Bristol University; Shared a stage with Greta Thunberg speaking to 40，000 protestorsAGE 18 Held a Youth Strike against melting pack ice of the high Arctic as Greenpeace’s Ocean’s AmbassadorAGE 20 Published her memoir， BirdgirlI am in awe of Dr Mya- Rose Craig who at TITLE: BIRD GIRL: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better FutureAUTHOR: Mya-Rose Craig PUB DATE: 03。28。2023 Now AvailableAGE 14 Founded an organization to engage teens of color with natureAGE 17 Received an honorary Doctorate from Bristol University; Shared a stage with Greta Thunberg speaking to 40，000 protestorsAGE 18 Held a Youth Strike against melting pack ice of the high Arctic as Greenpeace’s Ocean’s AmbassadorAGE 20 Published her memoir， BirdgirlI am in awe of Dr Mya- Rose Craig who at the young age of 20 has accomplished more than any of us could in a lifetime。 Her honorary doctorate received at 17 for being the youngest person to see half the world’s bird species。 Her fight for the environment’s climate crisis， along with racism informed by her life long love of birds， and the many foundations she supports such as Greenpeace and The Wildlife Trust just to name a few。 PoignantInformativeThis memoir about her family， her love of birds， and of course how she gives back to support people， the land， and the world。 What an amazing woman Dr Craig is - truly an inspiration to us all。 。。。more

Kelly ，

So I was gifted a physical copy of the book and while I enjoyed the bird pictures at the start of each chapter， I struggled to get into it。 That is why I requested the audio version and this is a case where the audio version saves the book。 I didn't know much about Mya-Rose Craig before reading her memoir and I know virtually nothing about twitching。 Learning about her life， her experiences twitching and her dysfunctional yet functional family was interesting though the novel is a bit all over t So I was gifted a physical copy of the book and while I enjoyed the bird pictures at the start of each chapter， I struggled to get into it。 That is why I requested the audio version and this is a case where the audio version saves the book。 I didn't know much about Mya-Rose Craig before reading her memoir and I know virtually nothing about twitching。 Learning about her life， her experiences twitching and her dysfunctional yet functional family was interesting though the novel is a bit all over the place。 I finished it and I enjoyed it， but I think this is going to be very polarizing。 I also think lovers of nature and birds will deeply invest in this novel， Thank you to Celadon books for gifting me a copy to review。 。。。more

LESLIE J （mrsj_readsbooks） ，

Thank you Celadon books for my complimentary copy。 All thoughts are my own。 I paired the audiobook and physical book。 I’m glad I did so I could see the pictures of the birds。 This was a very interesting and informative memoir。 I enjoyed the descriptions of the various birds。 I’m so happy she was able to see the elusive Harpy Eagle。 I just returned from Brazil。 I wish I had known about this bird while I was there ！ Some chapters seemed disjointed， there was a lot of jumping around。 I tended to sk Thank you Celadon books for my complimentary copy。 All thoughts are my own。 I paired the audiobook and physical book。 I’m glad I did so I could see the pictures of the birds。 This was a very interesting and informative memoir。 I enjoyed the descriptions of the various birds。 I’m so happy she was able to see the elusive Harpy Eagle。 I just returned from Brazil。 I wish I had known about this bird while I was there ！ Some chapters seemed disjointed， there was a lot of jumping around。 I tended to skim the page until I found bird and travel descriptions。 I commend Mya-Rose for her dedication to social justice and actions for preserving our planet。 。。。more

Kristine （bookstackcity） ，

✨ Review ✨A big thank you to @celadonbooks for this #gifted copy of #BirdgirlBook ！！ Available 3/28！⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️📖 Birdgirl by Mya-Rose CraigBirder， environmentalist， and activist Mya-Rose Craig chronicles her mother’s struggle with mental illness and shares her passion for social justice as well as her fierce dedication to preserving our planet。What it has to offer:✍🏼 Memior🦅 Birding🧬 Family History 🧠 Mental HealthQuick thoughts:✨ A lot of birding information。✨ Bipolar Disorder Awareness。✨ Not a lot ✨ Review ✨A big thank you to @celadonbooks for this #gifted copy of #BirdgirlBook ！！ Available 3/28！⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️📖 Birdgirl by Mya-Rose CraigBirder， environmentalist， and activist Mya-Rose Craig chronicles her mother’s struggle with mental illness and shares her passion for social justice as well as her fierce dedication to preserving our planet。What it has to offer:✍🏼 Memior🦅 Birding🧬 Family History 🧠 Mental HealthQuick thoughts:✨ A lot of birding information。✨ Bipolar Disorder Awareness。✨ Not a lot about herself。✨ Interesting overall。This was an interesting look at a birding family whose lives have been filled with trials and tribulations。Overall thoughts:📝 I liked the writing style overall。 I thought her voice really came through。✍🏼 This memoir felt like it was just scratching the surface of who Mya-Rose is。 It felt like she didn’t fully open up about herself。 She was very forthcoming about her mother’s illness which was interesting， however; it felt like there was something missing from her own story。🦅 The parts about birding and birds really shined through in this one。 You can tell she has a true passion for the activity and the birds themselves。 There were a lot of details about trips she’s taken and species she’s seen。 🧬 I enjoyed reading about her family and their ups and downs。 She recounts memories of their trips together as well as describing the harder moments in between。🧠 Mental health plays a huge role in this memoir。 Living with her mother who at times is manic and at other times is depressed is extremely hard on her entire family。 Eventually， her mother is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder， yet; even with the diagnosis she still continues to struggle with the symptoms and treatments。💜 My favorite part was definitely reading about her mothers journey。 I am also Bipolar so her story really resonated with me。 If you enjoy birding and are interested in reading about Bipolar Disorder then give this one a try！ 。。。more

Lisa of Troy ，

This review makes me uncomfortable so let’s off with the bandage。In the fall， I saw a “Lost Cat” poster tacked up right outside my house， and I knew the owner of this cat: a little boy whose father passed away from cancer about a year ago。 The boy’s father couldn’t search for this cat so I took it upon myself to take up this challenge。Even though I was searching incredibly familiar territory， I saw my surroundings with fresh eyes， scanning every last little detail。 I spent hours searching for th This review makes me uncomfortable so let’s off with the bandage。In the fall， I saw a “Lost Cat” poster tacked up right outside my house， and I knew the owner of this cat: a little boy whose father passed away from cancer about a year ago。 The boy’s father couldn’t search for this cat so I took it upon myself to take up this challenge。Even though I was searching incredibly familiar territory， I saw my surroundings with fresh eyes， scanning every last little detail。 I spent hours searching for this cat， inspiring me to get outside and enjoy some fresh air。 Normally， I tend to keep to myself。 However， a cat’s fate was on the line so I asked every single person that came cross my path if they had seen the cat。 I even convinced some of the neighbors to join in the search。 Birdgirl: Looking To The Skies In Search of A Better Future is a memoir about the author， a young woman， who travels the world， to all seven continents， observing birds， and weaving in the tale of her mother’s battle with mental illness。Although I am not a birder or twitcher， I believe in the power of nature and consider myself to be an environmentalist。 I even have a flier from Extinction Rebellion！ But…。。This book bored me to tears。 Although I loved the illustrations at the beginning of the chapters， this book needed some pictures as I found myself constantly looking up birds。Mya-Rose Craig is clearly competent， and she has even given speeches with Greta Thunberg。 However， the storytelling needed sharpening。 It read like a high school journal lest the teenage angst。 The paragraphs were too long， and there was v。 little dialogue and no suspense。 At times， the book was also overly preachy。 Instead， Craig should have put a list of eco-tourism lodges at the end of the book for those interested。Not too long ago， I read The Book of Hope by Jane Goodall。 It was phenomenal。 But guess what？ She co-wrote her book with not one but two other authors。 Ms。 Goodall has been working on her storytelling for decades， and she still utilized the skills of two other writers。 Her book （or rather their book） is amazing！Now for the gut punch: Jane Goodall has the same publisher as Mya-Rose Craig！ So why didn’t they give Ms。 Craig a co-author？What makes me so sad is that there is enough here to make a good story， and Ms。 Craig is probably the next Jane Goodall。 But the tale wasn’t told in a compelling way。Best of luck to you， Ms。 Craig。 Keep on birding！ Keep on exploring the world and speaking up！*Thanks， NetGalley and Celadon， for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion。Connect With Me！Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta 。。。more

Jennifer ，

Mya-Rose Craig is one of those young nature-connected people I follow on Twitter， perhaps with a particular interest in her case as her family home is not far from mine as a teenager。 A particular interest， and admiration for her activism but not really quite liking somehow。 Partly that is sharing some bone structure （though almost nothing else） with a prominent and profoundly disagreeable politician。 Sometimes what could be an intelligent measure nuance could come across more as a pleasure in w Mya-Rose Craig is one of those young nature-connected people I follow on Twitter， perhaps with a particular interest in her case as her family home is not far from mine as a teenager。 A particular interest， and admiration for her activism but not really quite liking somehow。 Partly that is sharing some bone structure （though almost nothing else） with a prominent and profoundly disagreeable politician。 Sometimes what could be an intelligent measure nuance could come across more as a pleasure in wrong-footing others。 I am really glad I gave her autobiography a go。The first reason is not to do with her or her writing but the superb design and the illustrations by Mick Manning。 His birds have a style and a colour which seems to allude to children's artwork， complementing the text beautifully and images of delight in their own right。She writes about her family history as the half sister of her Bangladeshi Bristolian lawyer mother's older daughter and a white father （who works doing something I was never quite able to grasp） A great deal of the book is about the family's globe-trotting birding。 I've never been that interested in this type of nature connection personally and on social media she has been very chippy about the thorny issue of the environmental cost of flying。 And yet she writes very engagingly about her experiences and it becomes easier to sympathise with the existential nature of her family's travels （as well as her arguments about need for eco-tourism to support indigenous people） Whilst I am mostly happy to have someone else do the legwork， I did feel twinges of envy over the Antarctic trip。Her mother's mental illness features as strongly as the twitching and she shows the work they all put in to keep her mother on a more even keel: from the challenges of keeping drugs cool enough not to go off whilst in the tropics， to tolerating what sounds like a difficult level of expressed irritation （and like Mya， I struggle sometimes with where the line is between what derives from illness and what is being an arse）。 It's not entirely new to me as an idea but she conveys the different perspectives of sufferer and family when it comes to the poles of mood， with depression 'easier' on Mya than mania and Helena herself having a very different view。 She shows too the benefits - her mother， unable to engage in gainful employment any longer， has made good use of her skills in supporting Mya's activism and events。 She says her parents are not 'tiger mums' in terms of academic achievement but also that her mother has at times been more like her manager， packing her teenager's diary with commitments。 I don't know how much say her parents had in what she wrote and I am sure it was an uncomfortable read for them， yet we are left in no doubt of their closeness and mutual appreciation as a family。Reading of how she thought about and negotiated school and social life was interesting， perhaps because by this point we （I） have read so much about diagnosed neurodivergent environmentalists experiences。 There's a startling reference to a burning need to find out who won Love Island whilst in some remote location。 I think from what I had read before I was expecting a little more 'boasting' （to put it at its worst） - her honorary doctorate is relegated to the acknowledgements。 Hats off to her for engaging with her notorious MP Jacob Rees-Mogg。 I shall watch her progress with interest - she has already gone as far as is possible in the geographical sense。 。。。more

Mihiret ，

This is the story of how observing birds changes your connection to the whole world。 Mya-Rose Craig was born into a birding--or twitcher--family and quickly picked up her family's endless fascination with birds。 They are not casual bird watchers， but curators of enormous life lists of birds spotted， the kind who travel around the world to collect species。 The birds are described beautifully， and Craig successfully conveys how very early morning trips up mountains are worth it when she spots the This is the story of how observing birds changes your connection to the whole world。 Mya-Rose Craig was born into a birding--or twitcher--family and quickly picked up her family's endless fascination with birds。 They are not casual bird watchers， but curators of enormous life lists of birds spotted， the kind who travel around the world to collect species。 The birds are described beautifully， and Craig successfully conveys how very early morning trips up mountains are worth it when she spots the bird she is hoping to see， but what makes this memoir stand out for me is what else Craig learned along her travels。 This is a book about birds， but it's also a book about becoming an activist， about noticing inequalities， racism， habit depletion， and who gets to explore the natural world。 Sometimes the shifts are a little abrupt， as she moves from her eight-year-old excitement at a six-months-long birding adventure in South America to defending the ethics of ecotourism， but Craig's passion carries it through。 This book is inspirational。Thanks to Netgalley， the publisher， and the author for my earc in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Keila ，

Mya-Rose， also known as， Birdgirl， is a birdwatcher and environmental activist。 Birdwatching has never felt like a hobby or a pastime to her – but more of a way of life。 This book follows Mya-Rose and her family as they travel the world to search for rare birds， and escape her mother’s mental health crisis。 The story is told as they hit milestones along their trips， and reflections of what they learned and found along the way。 This book hit close to home as I have a mental health disease。 I ofte Mya-Rose， also known as， Birdgirl， is a birdwatcher and environmental activist。 Birdwatching has never felt like a hobby or a pastime to her – but more of a way of life。 This book follows Mya-Rose and her family as they travel the world to search for rare birds， and escape her mother’s mental health crisis。 The story is told as they hit milestones along their trips， and reflections of what they learned and found along the way。 This book hit close to home as I have a mental health disease。 I often struggle with the battle of how well I am doing as a mom， and this book gave me hope。 Mya-Rose is a wonderful woman， who has overcome so much in her life。 Living with someone who has mental health issues is a struggle， and Mya-Rose persevered with strength and empathy。 I hope the same will be true for my daughter。 Reading this book was hard， and very emotional at times。 Mental health issues are hard， not only for those that are dealing themselves， but for everyone around them。 No matter how hard I try to seem “normal” and like I have everything under control， I still struggle， and books like this show me that my daughter and I can still have a great relationship despite that。I recommend you check this book out if you are looking for a wonderful story about persevering and overcoming obstacles。 This book is heavy on birding， which is something I have never given any thought， but I really did enjoy。 I really enjoyed how this hobby became such an escape and stepping stone for Mya-Rose and how it helped shape her life。 Thank you so much to @celadonbooks for sending me a paperback copy of this arc for review。 。。。more

Edwin Wilke ，

A wonderful memoir， full of passion， coming of age， and mental health awareness。 Mya’s story of her families resilience and healing through birding was inspiring。 At times it was very repetitive but overall enjoyable。 We need more parents like the Craigs， and more activists like Mya。

Nancy ，

Mya-Rose Craig is an exceptional young woman， an environmental activist and champion for inclusiveness， and member of the white male dominated worldwide ‘twitching community’–the British term for a bird watcher。 Although， watching isn’t quite the right word。 I am a bird watcher。 I notice birds all the time， note new ones to me in a book。 Craig’s family traveled across the world for a glimpse of rare birds！ Craig had visited all the continents before she had graduated high school。 Bird watching w Mya-Rose Craig is an exceptional young woman， an environmental activist and champion for inclusiveness， and member of the white male dominated worldwide ‘twitching community’–the British term for a bird watcher。 Although， watching isn’t quite the right word。 I am a bird watcher。 I notice birds all the time， note new ones to me in a book。 Craig’s family traveled across the world for a glimpse of rare birds！ Craig had visited all the continents before she had graduated high school。 Bird watching was their joy， and it was therapeutic for Craig’s mother as it helped her cope with bipolar disorder。Craig has accumulated a massive， world-wide following on social media as Birdgirl。 Now twenty， her first book is out， a memoir about birds， family， and growing up。Craig struggled to fit in; her mother is Bangladeshi， and the family bird obsession and her encyclopedic knowledge set her apart from her peers。As a teenager， she organized the Black to Nature camp and created a Race Equality and Nature Conference。 She has received an honorary PhD， so you can call her Dr。 Craig。The bulk of the memoir takes us with her family as they twitch， locally in Britain and across the world， including South America， Africa， America， Indonesia， and Antarctica。 Each chapter begins with a drawing and profile of a bird they hoped to see。Craig describes the hardships the family endured and the joys of discovering a rare and beautiful， often threatened species。 Craig’s personal and family struggles are interspersed。 She also documents how her family supported her to accomplish what she could imagine。 None of it came easily。The message of the memoir is one of empowerment and an impassioned plea to protect our beautiful and fragile world。Thanks to Celadon Books for an ARC。 。。。more

LKay ，

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this captivating memoir！ Who knew birding could be so interesting？This book is packed with feeling - relatable stories about family and the struggles of living with mental illness， the excitement and wonder at spotting a rare species of bird， and the inspiring fight for social and climate justice。 I loved learning a little bit about some of the thousands of birds Mya has seen， and about how ecotourism benefits indigenous communities。It’s easy to Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this captivating memoir！ Who knew birding could be so interesting？This book is packed with feeling - relatable stories about family and the struggles of living with mental illness， the excitement and wonder at spotting a rare species of bird， and the inspiring fight for social and climate justice。 I loved learning a little bit about some of the thousands of birds Mya has seen， and about how ecotourism benefits indigenous communities。It’s easy to despair in the face of climate change and there’s a long way to go， but this book left me feeling hopeful and optimistic。 。。。more

Kate TerHaar ，

This is not just a book about bird watching。 It is a travelogue， autobiography， conservation and climate change chronicoler， a mental health case file and so much more。 Mya has not only a passion for birds but also for conservation。 She is a voice we need in this world and look forward to seeing the continued work see does for the betterment of us all。

Zoe Langley-Wathen ，

Having just turned the last page of this book， I feel a sadness for the memoir to have ended and a sincere warmth for the author， Mya-Rose Craig， and her family。 I have found her words to be engaging， poetic and powerful。 The impact with which her activist voice is heard across all platforms is tangible within the book， and yet she does not come across as a preachy， or desperate campaigner。 I love birds but am not a birdwatcher - though I find myself wanting to see more of the UK birds and acros Having just turned the last page of this book， I feel a sadness for the memoir to have ended and a sincere warmth for the author， Mya-Rose Craig， and her family。 I have found her words to be engaging， poetic and powerful。 The impact with which her activist voice is heard across all platforms is tangible within the book， and yet she does not come across as a preachy， or desperate campaigner。 I love birds but am not a birdwatcher - though I find myself wanting to see more of the UK birds and across the world as a result。 Mya's experiences as a child， growing up through her teens， navigating a dual life to keep exteme birding and peers at arm's reach carries through the book。 Isn't that all a teenager ever wants。。。 to fit in？The initial surfacing and progression of her mother's mental illness is poignantly retold， acting as a core thread of the story。 It gives the reader an insight into the turmoil， conflict and pain Mya and her family live with。 The plans， the travels， the target birds and the NEED for these， not just on a personal level for Mya， but as a family unit， is so beautifully weaved into each chapter。 The racist undercurrent which is still ever present within the school environment was shocking to read。 I work in schools and while I'm not ignorant that it exists， it was tough to read the way in which school environments， language and social media act as a platform for those terrorising people of colour。 I appreciated Mya's explanation of her choice to use the term VME instead of BAME and applaud her for her insistence to the CEOs and policymakers for the need to encourage more VME people， not just into the outdoors but into nature。 For nature's sake and for their sake。 As a result of reading Birdgirl， I feel a connection with Mya-Rose Craig， her passion and her purpose。 For a voice and memoir to be taken seriously at just twenty-years-old is unusual， however this young woman has much to offer and an extraordinary background from which to speak from experience。 Birding may not have seemed cool to young Mya。 I hope she now realises that she is indeed the catalyst to have made it the new cool。 After all， isn't bringing the next generation into the world of birds what's needed to help the battle to protect them and their habitats？ I hope so。 。。。more

Eddie ，

This book was a good read and has inspired me to get back into birdwatching。

Natasha Redhead ，

I read this book as I found it in the book shop toppings in Ely。 It is autobiographical and written by a young female author whilst she is in her first year of university。 It is a reflection on her upbringing which is fascinating as she has travelled to so many countries and seen so many different species of birds。 This is intertwined with her story of being part of a family who loved to twitch but are not the stereotypical twitchers。 She also writes about her mother who lives with bipolar disor I read this book as I found it in the book shop toppings in Ely。 It is autobiographical and written by a young female author whilst she is in her first year of university。 It is a reflection on her upbringing which is fascinating as she has travelled to so many countries and seen so many different species of birds。 This is intertwined with her story of being part of a family who loved to twitch but are not the stereotypical twitchers。 She also writes about her mother who lives with bipolar disorder and this is intertwined with fascinating adventures to see birds。 I read it very quickly and it was a very enjoyable read and definitely has inspired me to get out into nature。 。。。more

Felicity ，

This young woman is a total inspiration。 Really hope youngsters & others like her will reach those who have the power to turn things around for the planet & humankind。

Alana ，

I'll be right back。。。 Just starting my "big year" of birding。 Wow Mya-Rose Craig！ You know when you're in that situation where you wish you knew more people who liked nature and the quirky stuff but you know that your school friends / family don't seem to get it。 This book and storytelling is exactly the hug that you need。 Whether you're into birding or not， or interested in a young person's thoughts on this mess of a world that we live in。 This book is well worth a read。At 23， I attended those I'll be right back。。。 Just starting my "big year" of birding。 Wow Mya-Rose Craig！ You know when you're in that situation where you wish you knew more people who liked nature and the quirky stuff but you know that your school friends / family don't seem to get it。 This book and storytelling is exactly the hug that you need。 Whether you're into birding or not， or interested in a young person's thoughts on this mess of a world that we live in。 This book is well worth a read。At 23， I attended those climate strikes in 2019， watched as Mya's Fridays for Future photo went viral， and shaped my future to try and fight for climate justice。 The fight is far from over， we won't stop。 In solidarity。 。。。more

Shalini ，

What better way to end a year’s reading list than a book about birds and birdwatching？ It is the story of Mya-Rose and her family’s birding adventures while battling life and mental illness。 This birding family came to my attention about a decade ago when a well known birder talked the pointless discussion on whether the year list of a 8 year old is valid- wasn’t this family’s hobby a reason celebrate？ I have been following Mya-Rose on social media for sometime now and this book takes us through What better way to end a year’s reading list than a book about birds and birdwatching？ It is the story of Mya-Rose and her family’s birding adventures while battling life and mental illness。 This birding family came to my attention about a decade ago when a well known birder talked the pointless discussion on whether the year list of a 8 year old is valid- wasn’t this family’s hobby a reason celebrate？ I have been following Mya-Rose on social media for sometime now and this book takes us through her journey。 She is not just an accomplished birder but a passionate champion for the planet and a social justice warrior。 So proud of her and all that she has achieved。 Keep going Mya！ 。。。more

Maisha ，

A beautifully written memoir from a young girl with so much worldly experience。 This book made me want to go out and travel in order to truly see our natural world and fight to protect it。

Merel ，

Biografie？ Reisverslag？ Coming of age？ Natuur- en vogelfeitjes？ 'Vogelmeisje' heeft het allemaal。 Biografie？ Reisverslag？ Coming of age？ Natuur- en vogelfeitjes？ 'Vogelmeisje' heeft het allemaal。 。。。more

Tina Panik ，

Mya-Rose’s connection to nature， and her family， is inspiring。 This was an ARC。

Lester Noel ，

Birding， Family Life and endangered species are all a part of this fascinating book！

Barry Avis ，

This is an autobiography of Mya-Rose Craig， known on social media as ‘Birdgirl’ a twenty year old birdwatcher， environmental and anti-racist activist。 The book starts before she was born discussing how her parents met and some of the issues her mother faced marrying a white man。 The book then almost goes through her life year by year and the many UK and overseas twitching trips Birdgirl and her parents made that helped her to become the youngest person ever to see 3000+ birds， visit every contin This is an autobiography of Mya-Rose Craig， known on social media as ‘Birdgirl’ a twenty year old birdwatcher， environmental and anti-racist activist。 The book starts before she was born discussing how her parents met and some of the issues her mother faced marrying a white man。 The book then almost goes through her life year by year and the many UK and overseas twitching trips Birdgirl and her parents made that helped her to become the youngest person ever to see 3000+ birds， visit every continent and eventually see 5000+ birds （over half the birds in the world！）。 There is a lot of detail of her mothers bi-polar condition and how that affected the family。On first glance you may think “an autobiography for a twenty something？？” but each chapter focusses on either a birding trip or a key event in her life and it makes a very interesting， sometimes sad and sometimes happy read as you hear how Mya-Rose split her life between her twitching family running all over to catch a glimpse at a rare bird and her life as a young girl and then teenager with all the pressures to be ‘normal’ and not a birdwatching ‘nerd’。 It is an inspiring story of how she turns a life that some may have used as an excuse to buckle into a successful adulthood setting up the charity Black2Nature to help Visible Minority Ethnic （VME） persons access the environment。There is not much I did not like about the book apart from the frustration regarding her mothers’ condition and the system failed to provide a proper diagnosis early on and then the struggle to get the correct support she needed that resulted in her having to ‘retire’ so early。 The slow decline of our health services and in particular mental health services I am sure put extra pressure on the family that could have been avoided with the correct support。If you are a birdwatcher this is a great read about what dedication and shear effort it takes to see more than half of the birds in the world。 If you are someone dealing with mental health in the family， this is a great read about how it does not just affect the ‘Sufferer’ but all those around them。 If you are an environmentalist it is a great book about how a teenage girl managed to set up the Black2Nature charity supporting VME persons to access the environment。 The book is well written and I am sure May-Rose will write many more。 。。。more

Katie ，

Fantastic insight into an obsession that takes over a family for many different reasons。 Covers lots of topics and highlights the importance of nature for all。

Ruby Kitching ，

For me， reading this book was like going for a refreshing， perspective-gaining walk and so welcome at a time when you can't go for a walk for one reason or another。 You feel fresh air in these pages， you feel like you've covered distances！ It was so interesting and enjoyable。。。 right until the last few pages when I just sobbed as Mya-Rose so beautifully brought the strands of her life together and reflected on it continuing beyond the book。 This is storytelling with a gentle and patient undercur For me， reading this book was like going for a refreshing， perspective-gaining walk and so welcome at a time when you can't go for a walk for one reason or another。 You feel fresh air in these pages， you feel like you've covered distances！ It was so interesting and enjoyable。。。 right until the last few pages when I just sobbed as Mya-Rose so beautifully brought the strands of her life together and reflected on it continuing beyond the book。 This is storytelling with a gentle and patient undercurrent that carries you away。 As a non-birder， there was also enough to grab my interest in the beautiful descriptions， but not too much for it to wane。 Mya-Rose has very generously shared intimate details of her family life， the reality of which juxtaposes poetically with the dream-like sequences of tracking down rare birds around the world。 There is a clear reason why the family has gone to extraordinary lengths to see birds around the world。 This is an extraordinary family。 I found Helena’s story so compelling: her drive， the challenges she faced and the effect on the family unit。 I imagine it helps people experiencing mental illness in their family to read this book。 It also appeals to a broad range of people and ages。 I took away a strong message about mental health: that it is not always something you get over， but learn to live with/adapt to and need immense resilience keep on top of， requiring the support of others。 I learned that we need to make time for good times （they don't just happen） and make time for rest and reflection too。 。。。more

Elainedav ，

This isn't just a book about birdwatching。 There are strong themes about conservation， environment， climate change， diversity， mental health， family and travel。 In fact I enjoyed the travel aspects as much as the constant drive to see new species of birds。As a regular viewer of programmes such as Springwatch and Countryfile， I'm sure I have seen Mya-Rose Craig aka Birdgirl on one of these programmes。 So， I knew a tiny bit about her before reading her memoir。 But the passion for her hobby and ass This isn't just a book about birdwatching。 There are strong themes about conservation， environment， climate change， diversity， mental health， family and travel。 In fact I enjoyed the travel aspects as much as the constant drive to see new species of birds。As a regular viewer of programmes such as Springwatch and Countryfile， I'm sure I have seen Mya-Rose Craig aka Birdgirl on one of these programmes。 So， I knew a tiny bit about her before reading her memoir。 But the passion for her hobby and associated causes comes through so strongly in what she has written。 I am sure that she will forge a successful career in conservation/nature/activism。 I think she writes well - all the years of practicing on her blog （make sure to look at that too）。 She is a very inspirational young person。I can't sum up this book any better than Mya-Rose herself。 At the end of the book she says '。。to all activists everywhere with their own untold stories: keep believing in and fighting for a better world。'Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 I wish I had read it sooner！ 。。。more

Michelle ，

Brilliant book， great story， Mya-Rose is someone special and has and will do great things。 Bird watching has lead her to saving the environment and the world。 Without birds the world would be a poorer place and like most things we take for granted they play a very important part in the way the world's ecosystem works。 Birds are the messengers who tell us about the health of the planet。 Brilliant book， great story， Mya-Rose is someone special and has and will do great things。 Bird watching has lead her to saving the environment and the world。 Without birds the world would be a poorer place and like most things we take for granted they play a very important part in the way the world's ecosystem works。 Birds are the messengers who tell us about the health of the planet。 。。。more

Michael Rumney ，

What Craig demonstrates throughout this book is her passion for nature， the environment and birds in particular。Primarily this is a travelogue about the birds her and her parents have seen throughout the planet but it also touches on mental illness， racism and the problems all teenagers encounter。This is such a mature book and it's a credit to the author that she brings such well written account of her memoirs， most of which are penned when she is still a teenager。She puts her points across very What Craig demonstrates throughout this book is her passion for nature， the environment and birds in particular。Primarily this is a travelogue about the birds her and her parents have seen throughout the planet but it also touches on mental illness， racism and the problems all teenagers encounter。This is such a mature book and it's a credit to the author that she brings such well written account of her memoirs， most of which are penned when she is still a teenager。She puts her points across very well， even if you might not agree with them and you do feel you are there with her vivid descriptions， whether it's the rain forests of South America or Antarctica。You can't help wanting to compare Craig with Greta Thunberg but I don't think the Swedish activist could write as well as the author。 。。。more

tpg0 ，

As an AI language model， I cannot give opinions or feelings about books。 However， I can provide some information about the book 'Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future'。 'Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future' is a memoir written by Mya-Rose Craig， a young citizen scientist and environmental activist who has been birdwatching since she was a young child。 In the book， Mya-Rose shares her passion for birding and her experiences as a birder of color。 The book also explores the threats facing bird species and their habitats， and Mya-Rose's efforts to raise awareness about the importance of conservation and the need to take action to protect the environment。 The book has been praised for its inspiring message and Mya-Rose's devotion to making a positive change in the world。

tpg1 ，

As an AI language model， I cannot provide a personal opinion。 However， I can tell you that "Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future" is a memoir written by Jessicameichelle， a conservationist and bird activist who has dedicated her life to protecting and preserving bird species。 The book documents her journey from childhood into adulthood and her efforts to bring awareness to the importance of bird conservation。 It covers topics such as climate change， environmental activism， and mental health。 The book has received positive reviews for its engaging storytelling and its message of hope and empowerment in the fight to protect the planet。

tpg2 ，

As an AI language model， I cannot have personal opinions but to provide you an overview of the book you mentioned。 'Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future' is a memoir by activist and environmentalist， Mya-Rose Craig， who is also known as Birdgirl。 The book chronicles her journey from a young age， where she began birdwatching， to her current activism in the UK and across the globe。 Throughout the book， Craig shares her experiences of being a mixed-race girl in the UK and how her love for birds and nature has helped her find her place in the world。 She also discusses the challenges she has faced as a young activist， including dealing with online trolls and overcoming the feeling of being an outsider。 The memoir is not just a personal story but also a call to action for readers to become more mindful of their impact on the environment and wildlife。 Craig provides practical tips for reducing one's carbon footprint and encourages people to get involved in local environmental initiatives。 Overall， 'Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future' is a powerful memoir that inspires readers to take action and make a difference in the world。

Tag

    birdgirl looking to the skies in search of a better future mya-rose craig birdgirl looking to the skies in search of a better future

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0