Ragtag

By Karl Wolf-Morgenländer

Warring birds battle over the city of Boston in an action-packed fantasy. In this engrossing story for older middle-graders, hundreds of birds of prey have been driven out of the Berkshires by encroaching human development. They head toward Boston, which is already occupied by the birds of the city--but that won't stop the raptors. Soon the Talon Empire and the Feathered Alliance are at war, and as the battle ensues, an unlikely hero emerges to defend his home: a young swallow named Ragtag.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0547074247
• ISBN13: 9780547074245
• Release Date: August 2009
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 1.0" x 5.5"
• Age Range: 10 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 7

Customer Reviews

An action-packed bird adventure!

Ragtag is a young swallow who belongs to the Feathered Alliance, a group of various birds dedicated to living in peace in the city of Boston. When a large group of strong, evil birds--members of the Talon Empire--are forced to leave their homes due to human destruction of their land, they decide to take over Boston. If the Feathered Alliance does not surrender to the Talon Empire, they are told, they will be killed...but surrender is not an option for the Feathered Alliance! They bravely decide to face the Talon Empire to fight for their freedom. Because the Feathered Alliance is made up of swallows, pigeons, mockingbirds, and other small birds, they know that it's not going to be easy to defeat the Talon Empire, which is made up of hawks, falcons, ospreys, and more. When the Feathered Alliance's leader is killed, Ragtag can hardly believe that other members look to him to take over--especially when he was once viewed as an outcast. Will he be able to lead the alliance to victory? This is a story full of suspense that is told entirely from Ragtag's perspective. Readers are right along with him as he flies through the air (and through the Boston Public Library) and fights other birds. Suggest this book to anyone who enjoys animals and a good battle.