Kids into books - Comes Naturally

This weeks title - Comes Naturally

Author: David Hill

Illustrator: Trevor Pye

Publisher: Mallinson Rendel, $15.95

Age group: 9-12 years


The horn sounded again. Another flock of birds lifted from the road, wings flashing in the morning sun. Should be choice down at Back Beach, Jake decided.

'Ross, don't you -' Then his mum gasped. Her foot stabbed at the brake.

Through the front windscreen, Jake glimpsed the bird. It rose up in a different direction from the others, then flicked in mid-air to follow its flock.

Jake saw the small, green-gold body try to swerve. Its beak gaped. There was a smack as it hit the side mirror. Then they were past. Behind them, something flopped and fluttered on the road.

'Mum! Sto-' But Mrs Bremner, biting her lip, had already pulled over.

Jake wrenched open his door. He hurried back to where the bird now lay still. Another car went past, driver staring.

Jake picked up the tiny shape. He could feel fragile bones under the feathers. A bright black eye looked at him. Then the beak opened. A window of white skin slid down over the eye. The bird trembled once and was still. Jake's parents watched as their son scraped a shallow hole by the roadside and covered the bird's body.

'Cars can be cruel things,' his mother said as she drove off again.