Learning to accept help can be the hardest lesson of all.

Mercy doesn’t have your average family, but it’s the only one she’s ever known. She, her mother Pearl, and her aunt Moo move from one falling-down rental house to another. Somehow they’ve always managed to get by, but lately things seem to be spinning out of control. Why is Pearl growing smaller, saying less and less as she retreats to the security of her bedroom? Why is her aunt growing larger and noisier as she reads fortunes in teacups and tarot cards and palms? And while Mercy tries to keep up at school and with her job, she lives in fear of the day Barry, Moo’s boyfriend, comes back to live with them all. “The novel deals with issues of poverty, depression, suicide, molestation, and alcoholism with delicacy, but without glossing over the harsh realities.”
–School Library Journal

“Holeman addresses poverty, abuse, and depression with compassion and a perceptive eye. Eloquent and impacting, Mercy’s story is an engrossing one, charged with emotional depth.”
–Booklist

“Holeman’s depiction of Mercy’s inner life feels real, and many of the scenes are charged, while steering clear of melodrama. I was touched by Mercy’s Birds and I think a lot of teenagers will be too.”
–Quill & Quire

“This novel is layered with imagery, drama, and an understanding of the painful emotions associated with life in an abusive and alcoholic situation…Award-winning novelist Linda Holeman has written a powerful novel that…features a strong and indomitable heroine.”
–Canadian Book Review Annual