The novel is set in the future in a forest and in village 3. They are dangerous places, because the main character ,Leora, her family doesn't care about her.  Plus Leora's cousin Willfred wants to hurt her.  The institute wants to put her away because she is deformed.  The settings are deceptive, because the rulers of the villages lie about the new animal life.  They turn the other villages against each other.   They lie about the plant food.  The settings are also sad, because Loera's father was killed, and she lost her sister.  Everyone in the book lives in the villages and they are forbidden to go into the forest. 

              Loera is a raggedly-dressed,  pretty-faced ten year old girl with a deformed webbed hand.  Leora is a brave girl, because she went into the forest.  She joined the rebels, and she also freed a so-called dangerous new animal called a birma from the rulers.  She is a kind person, because she uses her powers to help the rebels.  She helps women from village fifteen escape from the rulers.  She also helped wounded people at the battle.  She is an intelligent person, because she toyed with the rulers.  She was able to find her sister.  She knows how to use her powers.  Leora is a key part of the rebel resistance to the evil rulers. 

               The main conflict is the rebels are fighting the rulers to regain their freedom. 
Leora releases the birma so it won't be harmed.  Leora escapes from village 3 so she doesn't have to go to the institute.  Leora joins the rebels to help her sister.  The theme of this novel is no matter what you look like, it doesn't change who you really are.  Leora learned that she is important no matter what her appearance may be. 

                I liked The Hermit Thrush Sings more than I thought I would.  What the author did especially well was imagery. I was able to picture things very well.  This novel was much better than other novels I have read.  I would recommend this novel for kids to read.  It was full of action and it was well written.   I never got bored reading this book.  I suggest you pick this book up today and read it for yourself.