Flip the Bird

In this fresh and funny coming of age novel, a teenage falconer in training gets in trouble when he finds himself falling for a girl who is part of a radical animal rights group, now available in paperback.

Mercer Buddie wants two things: a girlfriend and the chance to prove himself to his master falconer father. With hunting season approaching, fourteen-year-old Mercer has only a short time to train his red-tailed hawk, Flip.

Then Mercer meets Lucy and thinks his love life is about to take flight—until he discovers that she belongs to a fanatical animal rights organization called HALT. If Mercer wants to keep seeing Lucy, he’ll need to keep his love of falconry and his family’s raptor rehabilitation center a secret from her, and Lucy’s involvement with HALT from his family. This book for teen boys asks: Is love worth all the lies—and maybe even the loss of his bird?

• An Unlikely First Love: He’s a falconer from a long line of hunters. She thinks all animals should be free. What happens when Mercer has to hide everything he is to get the girl of his dreams?
• Opposites Attract Romance: Mercer thinks his love life is about to take flight with Lucy, until he learns she’s part of a radical animal rights group determined to shut down places like his family’s raptor center.
• High-Stakes Family Drama: Torn between proving himself to his master falconer father and keeping his new relationship a secret, Mercer gets tangled in a web of lies that threatens his bird, his family, and his heart.
• A Passion for Falconry: Feel the thrill of training Flip, a red-tailed hawk, as Mercer learns the ancient art of falconry and prepares for the hunt of his life—if his secrets don’t cost him everything.

"Flip the Bird is packed with plot tension, flippant adolescent humor, and the complications of human relationships. Brunner’s novel will appeal to a variety of readers, including those drawn to stories of wildlife, family dynamics, or plain old star-crossed romance." —VOYA   "Brunner writes an impassioned story with real-life moral dilemmas. Abundant details of falconry, the result of the author's own falconry apprentice lessons . . . root the story solidly in a fascinating world new to most readers. An engaging story of a young teen finding what's most important in his life." —Kirkus   "Lovers of Sterling North’s Rascal, Farley Mowat’s Never Cry Wolf, and Calame’s Dan Versus Nature will flock to this tale about a teen and his hawk. . . . Get multiple copies for nature-loving reluctant readers."  —SLJ   “An exciting adventure into the art of falconry and the heart of a young man.”  —David Lubar, author of Hidden Talents and Character, Driven