Reviewed by Holly for TeensReadToo.com

Luther used to be a football-playing party animal, making bad choices and stealing just to impress his snobby friends from Heartland, Montana. Not anymore, though.

Luther now spends all of his time at the bird vet's house, where he cleans poop, feeds the birds, and flies them -- all under the supervision of the owner, Kay.

When school bully, Warren Juddson, finds out Luther quit the football team to work with the crazy bird lady, temperatures rise and words fly. When the whole team turns against him and maybe even his step-father, as well, Luther has no other place to turn but to the new girl, Alex.

Alex teaches Luther all about the forest fires nearby and how to ride a horse, but when the out-of-control fires get the best of him and his town, he has to choose what to save first: Alex and her belongings, Kay and her bird, his house, or himself. Luther makes a heroic attempt that could change his life forever.

This amazing book by Sneed B. Collard III will grab readers with its stunning real-life topic. A great read! ( )

YA novels with environmental themes can be hit or miss for me, but I enjoyed this one. Even though the environmental issues were central to the story, it didn't feel preachy at all. The details about birds of prey were so vivid. I'm too much of a chicken to watch nature TV shows about predators, but this book had me riveted and I didn't mind (too much) reading about the birds eating mice and rabbits. And the scenes with the wildfire had me reading at lightning speed to find out what happens at the end! ( )

http://www.author-illustr-source.com/sneedbcollard.htm ( )