Only a Little While Here

This prizewinning debut novel weaves together four meticulously observed animal odysseys in a poignant meditation on migration, displacement, and the inextricability of the human and the natural worlds.

In Only a Little While Here, an award-winning author evokes a sensation birders and naturalists know well—the deep gratification that comes through close, compassionate observation of fauna. With characteristic grace and curiosity, Ospina trains our attention on the lives of four a south-bound songbird dazzled by city lights, an orphaned porcupine saved by human kindness, a loyal dog grieving the abduction of her human companion, and a determined beetle transported to a vast, unimaginable world. The surprising drama of everyday animal life brings to life the fragility and resilience of belonging, and what it means to create—or lose—a home.

Each animal’s journey challenges us to confront the beauty and brutality of the world we shape around our non-human fellows. The result is a profound commentary that models the intense interest needed to mend the rift between humans and animals, and celebrates their often-overlooked status as witnesses of our shared world.

Tender, meditative, and soul-stirring, Only a Little While Here is ecological fiction and storytelling at its most inventive and heartfelt.