Kids Comics Pitchfest Showcase

Wild Bird

The Black Plague has killed everyone in young Rype's town, almost overnight. When wolves come to eat the dead, Rype flees into the woods. Evading predators and encountering other feral children, she learns to survive.

In time, Rype rescues a lost hunter, later discovering that the hunter is really a girl named Ella who assumed her brother's identity in order to survive. When Rype helps Ella get back home, Rype is recognized as heir to the nearby ghost town. As the settlers decide to restore the ghost town both girls swap identities. Ella, acting as a newly domesticated Rype, becomes the new village’s matron and Rype is free to live in the wild, occasionally returning to visit her new best friend.
Wild Bird is Young Adult Historical Fiction.

My Why:

Research was a vehicle to find meaning in the events of our latest global pandemic. My deep-dive into the history of our most iconic one, the Black Plague, uncovers the seeds of a story, both dark and inspiring. Wild Bird takes a stark look at grief, isolation, the majesty of nature and the importance of human connection. Orphaned, like many a mythic hero, our protagonist survives disease and the elements to discover agency in helping others. Based on actual events, practices of the time, and the Scandinavian folklore which arose in response to them, I believe this story will challenge readers to look at the darkest choices made by people plagued by disease and ignorance but be encouraged to apply a historic perspective to such times.