Growing Wings
#8763.76 adjusted 3.86 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 2000 Reading commitment Low Laurel Winter Last reviewed 2026-11-01
Overview
Growing Wings is a standalone fantasy novel for young readers by American author Laurel Winter, published by Houghton Mifflin in 2000. Eleven-year-old Linnet begins growing feathered wings, as her mother once did before they were cut off. Linnet is sent to her grandmother in Wyoming, where she finds a hidden community of winged people and befriends a teenager named Andy. Linnet must decide whether to hide, join a wider network of winged people, or go public. The book has no sequels.
Urban fantasy · For Middle grade
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
Growing Wings Laurel Winter
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Growing Wings | 2000 | 1 | core | 3.76 (806 ratings) |
A standalone novel about a girl who grows wings and finds a hidden community of winged people.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Growing Wings? Growing Wings's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is Growing Wings finished? Complete (2000).
- How much reading does Growing Wings take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book).
- How is Growing Wings ranked? #876 in this site's official ranking, based on 806 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #876?
Ranked #876 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.76 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (806 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.10 behind #875, The Kingston Cycle.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Rated · 1 book · Complete · 806 ratings · Ranks #876 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment urban fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- Mythopoeic Award (Children's Literature), 2000: finalist: Growing Wings
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- Hobkin Urban fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.82
- Night Flying Urban fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.82
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.76 across 806 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 27 universes from the candidate register; 3 candidates ruled out accepted 2026-11-01
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Kirkus Reviews Tier 2
- Publishers Weekly listing Tier 2
- Wikipedia: Laurel Winter Tier 2
- Laurel Winter author site Tier 2
- AbeBooks listing Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-11-01
Rule: Core Canon = Growing Wings (2000).