51 pages 1 hour read

Ann Braden

Flight Of The Puffin

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2021

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Themes

The Great Impact of Small Acts

Content Warning: This section contains descriptions of bias against transgender and nonbinary people, bullying, and the death of a young child.

Small acts can have a major impact on both personal growth and the external world. Libby thinks of herself as a dandelion pushing through the cracks and wants to create a better world for everyone. She does this via small acts that eventually have a big impact on others and her self-esteem. She wants to be more than what her family is, so she creates art cards to deposit around town in the hope that someone who needs cheering up will find them.

Without realizing it, Libby’s first card has an impact on Joey, who had a horrible day at the dentist and liked knowing that someone was thinking of him. Libby sends a card to Vincent to reaffirm his love for puffins and let him know that he’s great just the way he is. This inspires Vincent to help T by giving them food and a friend and to write to Jack and help him understand another perspective. The kindness of these seemingly minor gestures has a transformative and replicating power.