Birdy by Sharon Kernot

Maddy is mute. Since the Incident she has barely spoken. And now she and her mother and brother are staying in a farmhouse on an old apricot orchard not far from town. It's a chance to rest and recuperate - or a way to hide further away from the world.
Alice is waiting. Since Birdy, her darling daughter, disappeared forty-five years ago, she has sat in her house waiting for her to come home. Alice says Maddy reminds her of Birdy, and Maddy feels a strange connection to the long-lost girl. In the quiet not-speaking and waiting, amid the clutter of the old woman's house, Maddy and Alice slowly become friends. Until Maddy takes something that's not hers.
Birdy is a tender warm-hearted verse novel about the pain of loss and shame, the beauty of words, and the healing power of small acts of kindness.
Sharon Kernot lives in Mount Barker, SA, with her family. Her first verse novel The Art of Taxidermy was shortlisted for the 2017 Text Prize, 2019 CBCA book of the year, Prime Minister's Literary Award and NSW Premier's Ethel Turner Prize. Birdy is her second verse novel.
'A beautifully written story about how poetry, friendship, and nature can help us acknowledge and navigate the histories that haunt us. I was spellbound by Kernot's gorgeous, lyrical writing from start to finish.' Carly Nugent, author of The Peacock Detectives and Sugar
'Compelling...Fans of Sarah Crossan will be hooked by this hope-filled story of how small acts of kindness make a big impact on everyone.' Books+Publishing