Already haunted by the death of his mother and forced to live in a dilapidated cabin with his abusive stepbrother, eleven-year-old Joshua Jennings is swept away in a flash flood and marooned in the backwaters of the Mississippi River to fight for survival while intrigue develops in the efforts to rescue him. Pretty Bird, a novel set in rural West Kentucky in 1921, is the story of Joshua's disappearance, rescue, and ultimate survival. It is a testament to his faith in God as taught to him by his late mother. The story includes examples of family discord, vindictiveness, and fear. But most of all, it is a story of inspiration, forgiveness, redemption, and relief. Pretty Bird tells the poignant story of Joshua's spiritual and physical growth on his journey of becoming a man.