Wings (Pike novel) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
wings

U.S. cover of Wings
Author	Aprilynne Pike
Original title	Autumn Wings
Cover artist	Ray Shappell
Country	United States
Language	Enindian
Series	wings
Genre	Young adult, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher	HarperTeen (US) HarperCollins (UK)
Publication date	May 5, 2009
Media type	Print (hardcover, paperback) e-Book Audiobook
Pages	290 (US hardcover) 320 (US paperback) 356 (UK paperback)
ISBN	0-06-166803-6
Followed by	Spells Illusions Destined

Wings is a popular young adult fantasy novel written by Aprilynne Pike. It's the first book in a series of four. The story is about a fifteen-year-old girl who finds out she is a faerie. She was sent to live among humans to protect a secret gateway to a magical place called Avalon.

Wings was released in the US, UK, and Canada on May 5, 2009. It quickly became a New York Times best seller, reaching number one on the Children's Chapter Books list. It was also a Publishers Weekly Bestseller. Aprilynne Pike became the best-selling new children's author in 2009 who wasn't a celebrity. Wings later became an international bestseller in 2010.

The next book in the series, Spells, came out on May 4, 2010. The third book, Illusions, was released on May 3, 2011. The series ends with Destined, which was released on May 1, 2012.

Plot Summary

Laurel's New Life

Laurel Sewell is a 15-year-old girl who has always lived on her family's land near Orick, California. Her adoptive parents buy a bookstore in Crescent City, California. They decide to move the family there and enroll Laurel in Del Norte High School. Until now, she had always been homeschooled.

At high school, Laurel finds it hard to focus. The bright lights and small classrooms bother her. But she quickly makes two friends: David, a kind boy in her class, and Chelsea, a friendly girl who likes David. Chelsea is very interested in Laurel's strict vegan diet. As Laurel and David become closer, she tells him something important. She wasn't adopted in a normal way. She was left in a basket on her parents' doorstep when she was three. She only remembered her name.

A Strange Discovery

A few weeks into the school year, Laurel gets a big pimple on her back. This is very unusual for her. She tries to use an herbal cream from her mother to treat it. But the pimple only gets bigger. One morning, she wakes up with a huge blue flower growing out of her lower back.

Laurel is scared to tell her parents. So, she tells David instead. He is surprised but also says the flower looks like a pair of wings. Using David's microscope, they look closely at the blossom. They confirm that it is indeed a plant.

Meeting Tamani and Learning the Truth

Meanwhile, Laurel's parents get a visit from Jeremiah Barnes. He wants to buy their old land near Orick. They are selling it to pay for the bookstore. Barnes seems very interested in whether anyone has ever trespassed on the property.

Laurel and her parents travel to visit their old house on the land. There, Laurel meets a young man named Tamani. She finds him interesting and handsome. But she is also careful because he doesn't seem surprised by the flower on her back. He offers her answers. Tamani explains that Laurel, like him, is a faerie. He says faeries are highly-evolved, thinking plants.

Laurel gets angry and leaves. She warns Tamani that she will call the police if she finds him on the property again. Later, she finds strange glitter on her arm where he touched her. She tries to avoid David, but eventually tells him about Tamani and what he said. She storms off when David says it makes sense.

She asks her father if she has ever been to a doctor. He says only once, when she was found. The doctor couldn't hear her heartbeat. David convinces Laurel to think about Tamani's idea. He suggests they test if she really is a plant. They find that her blood is clear, and David can't hear her heartbeat. He thinks she might not even have a heart. Laurel is very shaken by this. David kisses her to try and comfort her. She feels flattered but says it's too much to handle right now. They also figure out that Laurel breathes out oxygen and breathes in carbon dioxide, like a plant.

Faerie Abilities and a Warning

David invites Laurel to a school dance. He suggests her "costume" be a faerie. She goes to the dance with him. She is shocked when another student hands her one of her petals that fell off. She realizes her blossom must be wilting. The next morning, all the petals have fallen off. She goes to find Tamani for more answers.

Tamani tells her that she is a Fall faerie. This means she has a natural understanding of plants and magic. She can create special liquids and mixtures. Tamani is a Spring faerie, which is the most common and least powerful kind. He can attract other faeries or animals, including humans. The glitter she found on her arm was his pollen. Faeries reproduce by pollination, just like plants.

Tamani is on the land because he is a sentry, or guard. He is one of several faeries protecting something very powerful. He is also watching over Laurel because she is a scion. A scion is a faerie sent to live among humans so she can inherit her parents' land. When Laurel tells Tamani that her parents are selling the land, he insists she must find a way to stop them.

Facing the Trolls

Meanwhile, Laurel's father, Mark, becomes very ill. He doesn't get better, and doctors eventually say he has only a week to live. Barnes arrives with a higher offer for the property and more papers to sign. Laurel's mother agrees to the offer. She needs the money to pay Mark's medical bills.

David and Laurel drive to Barnes' office. Laurel is sure he is hiding something. They find a horrible creature chained inside. Barnes discovers them and punches David. He then orders two helpers to throw David and Laurel into a river to drown.

Laurel and David manage to breathe underwater by sealing their mouths together. Laurel breathes out oxygen and breathes in carbon dioxide, which David can use. They free themselves and go back to David's car. Laurel realizes this situation is bigger than just a real estate deal. She tells David they need Tamani.

After finding him, Tamani explains that Barnes and his helpers are trolls. Trolls are like humans, but they are dangerous. They want the land because it holds a gate to Avalon. Tamani thinks Barnes made Laurel's dad sick to force them to sell. He also believes Barnes doesn't know Laurel is a faerie, or he wouldn't have tried to drown her.

Protecting Her Family

David and Laurel drive Tamani to Barnes' office. Tamani sneaks in and kills the other trolls by breaking their necks. But Barnes finds him and shoots him in the leg. While Barnes is distracted, Laurel picks up his gun and threatens to shoot him. Barnes realizes she is a scion. Laurel shoots him in the shoulder. She drops the gun in surprise, and Tamani grabs it. But Barnes jumps out a window before Tamani can shoot him again.

Back at the property, the other sentries take Tamani to Avalon to heal him. A Winter faerie named Jamison learns about the trolls. He tells Laurel to be careful. He also gives her a special liquid that will heal her father. He gives her a diamond too, so her parents won't have to sell the property to pay their bills. Laurel gives her father the healing liquid. She tells her parents that she is a faerie. She and David share a kiss. A few weeks later, she sees Tamani, who is healed and back on guard duty. He suggests she stay in the house on the property. But Laurel says no, explaining she has to protect her friends and family.

Awards and Nominations

• An IndieBound Spring 2009 Indie Next List pick
• An American Library Association "Best Books for Young Adults" nominee
• A Romantic Times "Best Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy Novel" nominee
• A Cybils Awards Fantasy/Science Fiction nominee
• A Whitney Awards "Best Speculative Fiction" finalist

Translations

Wings has been published in 29 languages by 34 different publishers around the world.

Film Adaptation

On July 14, 2009, Variety announced that The Walt Disney Company had bought the rights to make Wings into a movie. However, the project was later put on hold. The actress chosen to play Laurel, the main character, left the project. The movie plans have since been stopped, with only parts of a script finished. It is not known if Disney plans to continue with the project or cancel it completely.

See also

In Spanish: Alas (novela) para niños