Clara Dooley

Clara Dooley is a twelve year old girl with a high IQ and a sense of curiosity. Clara has been told all of her life that she has a physical condition, a weak heart, which severely limits her activities and keeps her housebound in the Glendoveer mansion. The only place Clara is allowed to go out of the house is into the rose garden. While Clara likes the rose garden, she does not like the aviary that is located there. The birds in the aviary constantly screech and make otherworldly noises that terrify Clara. Clara tends the birds only when necessary, such as when there is a storm or she is prompted by Mrs. Glendoveer, her mother, or Ruby, the cook. One day, the old mynah bird begins to speak to Clara. Clara tries to ignore the birds but eventually realizes that they are trying to tell...