Oy would never forget the day when Liliandra had tapped her on the shoulder and held out a piece of paper that began: You are invited . At first, Oy thought it was a birthday party invitation. But this seemed even better. A club . Oy hadn't even known what quail meant, but she'd wanted to be part of the group of friends. Hejski's dad had taken all five of them to an ice-cream parlor to celebrate the formation of the club. They'd sat at round tables in the sunshine, and Oy had licked her coconut-flavored scoop extra slowly. Afterward they'd set up the incubator on Hejski's back porch and studied pictures of quail on the Internet.

Oy had learned that quail were birds with plumes on their heads. She couldn't imagine not being part of the club. If Liliandra made her leave, she wouldn't see the quail hatch. But even more important than the quail was the chance to hang out with the other girls. To talk about silly things. To make plans together. To have friends. To be a friend.

She hadn't been lonely since the club was formed. _______ THE QUAIL CLUB by Carolyn Marsden. Copyright © 2006 by Carolyn Marsden. Published by Candlewick Press, Inc., Cambridge, MA.