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Fly Away Home

Eve Bunting,

Ronald Himler (Illustrations)

4.29 · Rating details · 3,694 ratings · 434 reviews

A homeless boy who lives in an airport with his father, moving from terminal to terminal trying not to be noticed, is given hope when a trapped bird finally finds its freedom.

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Paperback, 32 pages

Published March 22nd 1993 by Clarion Books (first published 1991)

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Community Reviews

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Average rating 4.29 ·

Rating details

· 3,694 ratings · 434 reviews

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Sep 24, 2011 Rebecca Hipps rated it it was amazing

It's difficult for me to give my reaction to this book, because I find the text and images so incredibly powerful. From the first opening, we get an honest view of a hard-working father and his son, striving to create a better life for themselves. The first statement abruptly introduces the reader to the boy's reality: "My dad and I live in an airport. That's because we don't have a home and the airport is better than the streets." As I read this book, I continued to appreciate Bunting's matter- ...more

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Apr 02, 2009 Malbadeen rated it liked it

Recommends it for: students at my school

Shelves: picture-books

Tomorrow I'm going to do what I rarely do, which is to read a book to students for the sole purpose of teaching a lesson.

I was with a group of students today that spewed stereotypes about homeless people for a good 20 minutes. They naively asked questions and recalled experiences they've had in encountering homeless people without realizing that in our school, meaning their classmates, we currently have somewhere near 30 homeless students in attendance.

On the plus side, Eve Bunting is a great wr ...more

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Oct 26, 2018 Cheryl rated it really liked it

Powerful, and not overwhelmingly sad. Not for the littlest ones. A note about further reading would be nice; expect questions.

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Oct 02, 2010 Leane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: peace-and-social-justice

Summary: This books deals with the issue of homelessness. It is told through the eyes of a young boy named Andrew. Andrew is being raised by his father and they live together in an airport. Trying to remain unnoticed, Andrew tells the reader about his daily life and how it is both similar and different than that of a child with a home. He leaves us with the hope that someday he, like the trapped bird in the window, can flee his current living situation and return home.
Issues: The main issue of t Summary: This books deals with the issue of homelessness. It is told through the eyes of a young boy named Andrew. Andrew is being raised by his father and they live together in an airport. Trying to remain unnoticed, Andrew tells the reader about his daily life and how it is both similar and different than that of a child with a home. He leaves us with the hope that someday he, like the trapped bird in the window, can flee his current living situation and return home.
Issues: The main issue of this book is homelessness but specifically a child who is homeless. Child readers are able to make connections between their lives and Andrew’s life because the book is told from a child’s point-of-view. Some of the differences that can be discussed are:
1. rules in a child’s house vs. the rules in an airport
2. children’s clothing vs. Andrew’s blue, inconspicuous clothing
3. friends vs. Andrew’s friends
4. daily routine (school, chores, etc.) vs. Andrew’s lack of routine or purpose
5. daily conversation/communication with others vs. Andrew’s lack of conversation with others
6. a child’s growth of identity and self-awareness vs. Andrew’s lack of identity
Towards the second half of the book, I started to notice some similarities between Andrew and a child reader. These would be a great addition to a discussion:
1. Andrew eats breakfast each morning
2. Andrew’s dad goes to work
3. Andrew has a babysitter
4. Andrew does odd jobs for change
5. Andrew has a friend named Denny
6. Andrew eats dinner every night
7. Andrew will go to school when he is old enough because it is important to get an education
I think that students may have a rough time relating to a child who is homeless and lives in an airport. Yet by discussing some of these similarities, we can bridge the gap between Andrew and the reader.
A final important theme is hope. Andrew watches a bird that is trapped in the airport and after several days escapes. Andrew feels that he is in a similar situation and longs for the day when he can be free of the airport and return to the kind of life he lived before his mother died. I find hope to be an important word as it is so commonly associated with the theme of peace and social justice. No matter what horrible situations we may find ourselves in, we can encourage ourselves and others to hope for the best and think positively and creatively. That is the only way that we can find solutions to our problems and improve our world.
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Feb 23, 2010 Katina rated it really liked it

Shelves: realistic-fiction

This is a sad but good of happened story. "My dad and I live in an airport> That's because we don't have a home and the airport is better than the streets. We are careful not to get caught." The first page drew me in to read more. A young boy and his father spend their days living in airport. The boy shares tips on how not to get caught. "Don't get noticed." The sit separately not to get caught. The boy watches a bird that flies into the airport and is trapped inside. He compares his life to the ...more

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Jan 18, 2017 Lauren Castle rated it really liked it

Shelves: realistic-fiction

The picture book “Fly Away Home” written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Ronald Himler is a book that is clearly designed to introduce children to homelessness. When I first read it, I felt heartbroken for the young boy and his dad who are in a situation where they have to live in an airport. This book highlights the emotions one feels when they are in that situation, ranging from sadness to frustration to hope for a better future.

There wasn’t a dramatic plot line in this book, it followed th ...more

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Jul 13, 2013 Jackie Douthat added it

Shelves: diversity-family

When I first read this book I teared up. It was very sad however, I think this would be a good book to share with students. I would use this book to encourage maybe a service project where the class might think of ways to help others. This would be a great book to teach empathy and encourage students to want to help those in need.

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Oct 25, 2011 Colby Sharp rated it it was amazing

Shelves: issues, theme, picture-book

My favorite picture book of all time. I have never not cried while reading it. Today, my fourth graders were completly engrossed in this heartbreaking story of a boy, his dad, an airport, and hope.

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Jan 17, 2018 Jennifer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: children, work-reads

What an interesting book. I can't wait to use this to teach my students how to find the author's purpose. This book was so powerful and makes you think about issues you don't always see. ...more

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Feb 21, 2012 L12_luisespinoza Espinoza rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic-fiction

"My dad and I live in an airport. That's because we don't have a home and the airport is better than the streets." This is how this touching picture book opens up. It effectively presents the difficult subject of homelessness and does a wonderful job of doing it in a way that does not oversimplify the subject or imply hopelessness. The story is about a dad and his preschool-age son (although the book does not provide his age)who live in an airport. The story is told in narrative form from the bo "My dad and I live in an airport. That's because we don't have a home and the airport is better than the streets." This is how this touching picture book opens up. It effectively presents the difficult subject of homelessness and does a wonderful job of doing it in a way that does not oversimplify the subject or imply hopelessness. The story is about a dad and his preschool-age son (although the book does not provide his age)who live in an airport. The story is told in narrative form from the boys perspective and shares his emotions of being homeless from feeling safe through a community of other homeless people living in the airport, to bitterness and anger from watching people arrive from their flights and greeting their loved ones with "It's so good to be home", to sadness thinking that the airport will be his permanent home as he states "I think Dad and I will be here forever". In addition, the illustrator provides pictures that complement the mood of the story through his use of soft watercolors and placement of characters in the pictures. During one part of the story, the boy notices a little brown bird trapped in the terminal that is trying to get out. The author does a really nice job of highlighting the parallel between the bird finally escaping the terminal when a sliding door opens and the boy's longing for the day when he and his dad can also leave the terminal. At the end of the book, the boy is seen looking out the window of the terminal contemplating about his circumstance and saying "Then I remember the bird. It took a while, but a door opened. And when the bird left, when it flew free, I know it was singing."

While this can be a difficult subject to tackle with students, the book does a really nice job of portraying homelessness in all it's aspects, including hope. This book is appropriate for students grades K-3rd and the DVD format is an excellent complement to the book. It is part of the Reading Rainbow series shown on PBS and expands the subject to include examples of children, young adults, and families that have experienced homelessness from different perspectives. Another book that would be a good complement to this subject for this same age group would be "Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen", by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan.
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Nov 17, 2017 Emma added it

In life, something bad might happen to you and affect your whole entire life. Well, that's what happened in the book, Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting. The little 6 year old boy and his dad are homeless and they live in an airport, they lost all of their money. This kind of relates to the song Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood when she said, "this is my temporary home, it's not where I belong”. The boy and the dad are resourceful because the dad goes to work, the boy saves his money in his shoe, an In life, something bad might happen to you and affect your whole entire life. Well, that's what happened in the book, Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting. The little 6 year old boy and his dad are homeless and they live in an airport, they lost all of their money. This kind of relates to the song Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood when she said, "this is my temporary home, it's not where I belong”. The boy and the dad are resourceful because the dad goes to work, the boy saves his money in his shoe, and they live in an airport.

One reason why the boy and dad are resourceful is because dad goes to work to get money. In the text it says,"Dad is a janitor for an office in the city. Sometimes when he comes home and has extra money, he’ll buy us dinner.’’ This proves this by showing that if he gets paid more than usual he will take them to a not so fancy diner in the airport. This shows that they are resourceful because he was using extra money to buy food.

One more reason why the boy and dad are resourceful is that the boy and his friend find luggage carts and return them for $l.00 or more. For example, “sometimes when people don’t tip Denny will say, "stingy!” This shows that the boy and the dad are resourceful because they use their money wisely so they will have enough to buy a home or do something else important.” For example, “we eat in the cafeterias and have breakfast there because it's not a lot of money.

One more reason that they are resourceful is that they live in an airport. For example, “my dad and I live in an airport. That's better than living on the streets. We are careful not to get caught.” This shows that the boy and the dad are resourceful because they they don't have anywhere to stay so they chose the airport.

As you can see the boy and the dad are resourceful because the boy was saving his money in his shoe. He did this because they are poor and he wanted to help out his dad. In the text, the author said, "Then I remembered the bird. It took a while but a door opened. When the bird left, flew free, I know it was singing.”

By: Emma Pickle ...more

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Jan 27, 2010 L-Crystal Wlodek rated it really liked it

Shelves: picture-books, realistic-fiction

Fly Away Home is recommended for students in kindergarten through fourth grade. This book is about a homeless boy and his father who live at the airport. They move from terminal to terminal, sitting and sleeping in chairs, washing up in the bathroom, and eating in the food court, hoping not to get caught. They are given hope that they will be able to escape the airport to freedom and live in their own home when they see a trapped bird who finally finds its freedom.

This heartwarming and touching ...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Catherine Kirk rated it really liked it

“Fly Away Home” is a realistic fiction picture book about a homeless boy and his father. The book tells about how they live in an airport, and basically just describes daily life for them: where they sleep and eat, what they wear and how they make money. Although the man has a job, he is clearly still not in a position to buy or rent a home, and the boy discusses his bitterness and sadness over the fact that they have nowhere to live. The story ends on a positive and hopeful note though, as the ...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Lindsay rated it really liked it

Shelves: picture-books

Eve Bunting has an amazing way of discussing life's many experiences and tragedies in sensitive and "kid-friendly" words. Eve Bunting honestly depicts real-life problems, such as homelessness in "Fly Away Home". I decided to read this book because I am familiar with her book "The Wall" in which she tells about the tragedies of war and the lingering loss that occurs after a war is over. One of the best aspects of this story and "The Wall," is how Bunting narrates the story from the perspective of ...more

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Jul 10, 2014 Dolly rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: parents reading with their children

Shelves: reading-rainbow, 2014, aviation, other-usa, read-but-not-finished-reviewing, childrens

This books depicts the stark reality of life for a homeless father and son living at the airport. The story offers a glimpse of hope and shows what lengths the father goes to in order to keep his son safe and with him. Our girls were shocked to learn that people could live this way and it really made us appreciate our home and the lives we lead.

The watercolor illustrations help to convey the anonymity of the father and son in their attempts to merely blend in with the crowd and not be noticed. ...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Sara Abdulkarim rated it it was amazing

Shelves: text-set

Fly Away Home was one of the most heart-breaking stories I have ever read. This story is from the point of view of a child who, along with his father, was homeless. They explain how they became homeless after the boy’s mother died, showing that they family was not able to live off on only one income. However, the child stayed positive in hoping one day that he will be able to be free. One day the child sees a bird that accidentally flew into the terminal. In the terminal, the bird's wing became ...more

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Oct 12, 2015 Amy rated it liked it

Shelves: homelessness

This book deals with the important issue of homelessness. Instead of the streets, a boy and his father live in the airport where the number one rule is not getting noticed. They dress in all blue, sleep in different terminals each night, and be sure not to sit with other "regulars." During the day, Dad leaves the airport to work while the boy stays with another airport family. The boy does not go to school but Dad says next fall he will figure out a way so he can.
One day the boy followed a bird ...more

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Aug 29, 2017 Jana rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-kinds-of-families, public-library, children-fiction, children-picture-books, homelessness

I've been meaning to read this picture book for quite some time, but have only just now gotten to it. Wow! Just like all of Eve Bunting's books, this one really grabbed me by the heartstrings. A little boy and his father are homeless and live at the airport. They spend much of their time moving around and trying not to be noticed. The boy relates to a bird that is trapped inside, until it finds a way to fly outside. The story is written from the boy's point of view, and it's very tough to think ...more

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Nov 29, 2017 Olivia Claire rated it liked it

Fly away Home is in the eyes of a homeless child living in an airport with his father. This is such a sad and powerful book. As the story goes through the little boy talks about ways not to get caught and other families that are there. The start of the book grabbed my attention as it bluntly states the reality of this boy and his fathers life living in an airport because it’s better than being on the streets. In the book there is bird which is a parallel how the boy feels. The bird being able to ...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Marissa rated it really liked it

Shelves: educ519

Summary:
The author shares about a boy and his father who live in an airport. The author discusses the importance of going unnoticed so that they will not be caught. The boy is angry and sad because he and his father do not have a house to go home to. Yet the boy is hopeful that he will be like that trapped bird who one day will fly away home.

Thoughts:
I am glad the boy was optimistic about his future and still had hope that he would be one day free.

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Nov 07, 2012 Kiera rated it it was amazing

Fly Away Home is a story about this family who lives in an airport because they are homeless.The dad works on the bus and the young boy stays in the airport while his father goes work. A bird finds his way into the airport and gets lost. He eventually finds an open door and flies away. The little boy gets hopes that one day he will find his way out like the bird did. This is a good book to read to children so they can understand hardship.

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May 15, 2016 J L's Bibliomania rated it really liked it

Shelves: childrens, z-2016-reads

Fly Away Home, by Even Bunting, is a well regarded picture book concerning a homeless boy and his father who live in an airport. I love how it portrays a family that is trying to work their way out of a spot of bad luck rather than the sterotype of all homeless people being shiftless and not trying to change their circumstances.

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May 07, 2017 Amanda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: childrens-books

This is an essential children's book for a class conversation about poverty and homelessness. It encounters the topic in a way that is extremely relatable and appropriate for young children, and could easily springboard to further research, service projects, or civics problem-solving. ...more

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Mar 31, 2009 Orlando rated it really liked it

i liked this story. it was a good story. Its about a kid and his dad live in an airport.And every day they change gates for they wont get caught living in the airport.

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Jul 26, 2009 Cindy rated it really liked it

A touching story about a homeless family. Good book to use in the classroom to help students understand other people's problems. ...more

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May 19, 2015 Kim rated it really liked it

Shelves: picture-books, homelessness, bookaday-2015

Eve Bunting. Enough said.

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May 15, 2019 Yousef F. rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Fly Away Home
By:Yousef Farahat

The text “Fly Away Home,” teaches me that sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it. It shows this at the beginning of the story, in the middle of the story, and at the end of the story.

The text “Fly Away Home,” teaches me that sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it. This is true at the beginning of the story. For example, at the beginning of the story, they mentio Fly Away Home
By:Yousef Farahat

The text “Fly Away Home,” teaches me that sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it. It shows this at the beginning of the story, in the middle of the story, and at the end of the story.

The text “Fly Away Home,” teaches me that sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it. This is true at the beginning of the story. For example, at the beginning of the story, they mentioned that they didn’t have a home. This part is important because they have been trying their whole life since their mother died trying to find a home but they can’t because her father doesn’t really have a job. The boy even asked, “Will we ever have our own apartment again?” but the father responded yes, but wasn’t sure because he only has one job and he works as a janitor in an office. Eve Bunting uses dialog to show how the mood changes. Andrew’s Dad tries to find for themselves places, but he couldn’t he was trying really hard. When he comes back home, he looks angry. “I’m saving money, too.” “Atta Boy!” So the mood changes from sad and angry to happy and inspired.

The text “Fly Away Home,” teaches me that sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it. This true in the middle of the story. For example,it shows this is in the middle of the story because when the boy saw the bird and her wing was injured, the boy (Andrew) answered “Fly Bird, Fly away home,” This is part is important because the bird inspired the boy when you get down, you always have to try to get back up again. He also said that “Don’t stop trying!Don’t! You can get out!” Andrew helps the bird more than he helps himself. He finally realizes that he is inspiring himself. He said that “I remember the bird, it took me a while, but a door opened. And when the bird left when it flew free, I know it was singing,”

The text “Fly Away Home,” teaches me that sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it. Most of all this is true because it shows this at the end of the story. For example, at the end of the story, when he said: “Sometimes I watch people meeting people.” Then he continues, “We missed you, it is good to be home.” Sometimes I get mad and I want to run at them and push them and shout, “Why do you have homes when we don’t?! What makes you so special?” This part is important because he realizes that life is sometimes hard and not fair. This also shows that he misses his mom because if their mom was here, they would’ve had a home already.

So now just like I told you in the beginning “sometimes you don’t always get what you want, but never give up and work hard to achieve it.” it shows this in the beginning, middle and at the end of the story. And just like Japanese Proverb says “Fall seven times and stand up eight,”

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Jul 05, 2019 Nancy Kotkin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: pb-issues, picture-books, 2019-pb, 2019-reads, fav-pb, stars-5, pub-hmh-clarion

A five-year-old boy and his father live in an airport because they are homeless. They wear blue clothes to fit into the crowds, and they avoid sitting with other homeless friends living at the airport so they won't be noticed by the authorities. The father works as a janitor on the weekends, mentions that he is looking for more work, and calls about apartments, though he is not successful in finding one they can afford. The boy carries heavy bags for passengers, in the hope of getting a tip, and ...more

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Mar 02, 2020 Julie is currently reading it

Shelves: picture-beginning-books

Bunting, Eve. Fly Away Home. Clarion Books, NY, 1991.
I read this picture book to a first grade classroom and I did not pre-read the book before my Read Aloud time. In my memory, the title Fly Away Home reminded me of the film starring Jeff Daniels and Anna Paquin. Well, that film and this book are not related in anyway.
In this story, we learn about a homeless father and son that live in an airport terminal. The story is set during a time before September 11, 2001 because people are able to freel ...more

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Jan 12, 2021 Ava Welch rated it it was amazing

Fly Away Home is one of my all time favorite books, it addresses a social issue that is not commonly discussed in picture books. Fly Away Home is a story about a young boy and his father who are homeless and live in various airport terminals. While his father goes out to work, the young boy stays with another family living in the airport and collects change by doing various odd jobs for airport goers. The story is told through the perspective of the young boy which adds a lot of emotion to the t ...more

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About Eve Bunting

Eve Bunting

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Also known as Evelyn Bolton and A.E. Bunting.

Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.

Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “The ...more