While it's not her best story, it's still a nice one with a good message, and Catherine Rayner's illustrations are as beautiful as you'd expect. A good chance to talk about the importance of friendships with children.

I have always been a fan of Donaldson's work which is always great for helping children to understand the patterns of rhyme.
In this story, the Go-Away bird is visited by several other birds and she shouts in her clear cry "Go-Away". Until a dangerous bird comes along and she needs help. Will the birds she has sent away come back to help her?
With brilliant illustrations by Catherine Rayner, this book is sure to have young readers joining in with the repeated Go-Away refrain, while also introducing them to the species on which the story is based.

A delightful picture book for younger children, about a bird who resist all attempts to make friends with the other birds. He just keep repeating "go away, go away". However when a much larger bird threatens to eat him, the other birds come to his rescue, and scare the big bird away.
The colours in this book are eye-catching, and the pictures of the birds is very true to life. The text has a nice rhythm to it, and the birds are all real characters.
Smaller children will like the sense of danger, whilst realising that usually someone or something will come to the rescue.

I love a good Julia Donaldson book.
The Go-Away birth was nothing less than that.
I might be 29 years old, but I do love a good picture book!

Doesn't feel like a Donaldson. Entertaining enough, didn't like the end.

The Go-Away bird keeps pushing all the other birds away, she's not interested in chatting or flying with them. But when a bigger bird with lunch on his mind comes calling, she soon changes her tune.

The rhymes work well enough, but this felt very brief (even for a picture book) and I didn't really like the conclusion - intimating that the Go-Away Bird now wanted the other birds around as protection. She doesn't say thank you for their assistance, the phrase "you can stay" might be funny to some, but I just found her ungrateful.

Some rather lovely illustrations and colours from Rayner, an interesting collaboration, the realistic pictures are the style of any of Donaldson's other partners'.

A little disappointed, this doesn't have the 'classic' feel of many of the author's others, though I do like the fact that it is based on a real bird. This could be a lovely fact to share with listeners.

For ages 3-6.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

The successful partnership of Julia Donaldson, and this time, illustrator Catherine Rayner have produced a book that will doubtless become a classic. Not as immediately appealing as some of Donaldson's earlier picture books, this story grows on you with repeated readings, which after all is how we use the books with our children and grandchildren. The message is clear, valuing independence but ultimately reminding us that its ok to need help and support too. The beautiful, delicate illustrations offer lots of detail to notice and discuss. Recommended.

Beautiful illustrations - colourful and realistic rather than cartoony - accompany a well paced rhyming na rrative with lots of repetitive 'choruses' which young children love. Also educational regarding the need for co-operation with others in times of need - friends can be useful so we should always try to be friendly and not always frighten people away.

Totally suitable for the target age group and I'm sure it will soon become a firm favourite

As a fan of the author, I was looking forward to reading this story to the 6, 4 and 2 year olds I look after. I was not disappointed and neither were they. The storyline was very well written, the rhymes well done also. The story resounded with me especially as the eldest child I read it to suffers from Asperger’s and he in particular was listening intently when I read it. The illustrations are ideal.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

Another triumph!
All of Julia’s books are form favourites in our house and I can see this one being just as popular.

The grey go-away-bird is a real African species (so named because of what its call sounds like it is saying), but here Donaldson imagines it as a loner who shoos away all potential friends, until realizing that it can be helpful to have other birds around for back-up. The text is full of counting, rhymes, alliteration and onomatopoeia, so should be perfect for reading aloud with children. (Apart from the go-away bird itself, the other birds pictured are not necessarily recognizable species, which may annoy birding pedants.)

Just look how cross the bird on the cover of this book appears to be!

This is another fantastic children's book from this highly talented duo. It is engaging, entertaining, educational and, most of all, a fun read that children really enjoy. The beautiful illustrations enhance the story and promote the engagement of youngsters whether they can read or not. The repetitive lines in the story encourage children to join in with the telling of the story, something many children love.

The story is essentially that there is a bird who is called 'The Go Away Bird' because that is what it says to any other birds trying to visit, regardless of the reason for that visit. However, when the 'Get You' bird threatens to get the Go Away bird it discovers that friends really can help you and shouldn't always be sent away.

I enjoyed the story and was intrigued by the factual information after it. It was a delightful read, one that I believe children will enjoy sharing with a grown up until they are able to read it independently - and even then they'll enjoy sharing it with others! A fun read with an inspirational message that I have no hesitation in highly recommending.I requested and was given a copy of this book, via NetGalley. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.

As to be expected from such a prolific author, a beautifully illustrated book to read out-loud.
A lovely gift for any small child.

The Go-Away Bird by Julia Donaldson is easy to read and contains beautiful illustrations.

Many birds come to see The Go-Away bird to try and talk or play but she sends them all away. She claims the other birds make her feel batty, dizzy and seedy. Then a dangerous bird comes after her and she realises she may need her friends after all.

This is a lovely little book about the power and importance of friendships. The simple rhymes mean it is easy for a child to read themselves or with their parents.

The birds all had their own personalities and of these my favourite was the Chit-Chat bird.

“I’m the Chit-Chat bird. Will you chat with me?

We can talk of the weather, and other things

Like the colour of eggs, and the aches in our wings.”

I liked that this book is based on a real bird whose cry makes it sound like it is saying ‘go away.’

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Books for a digital copy of this book. Having shared many Julia Donaldson books with my own children and primary school children, I'm happy to confirm that this is of the standard everyone expects from Julia Donaldson. I definitely recommend this for use in primary schools when discussing friendship issues.

My thanks to Pan Macmillan/Macmillan Children’s Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Go-Away Bird’ written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Catherine Rayner.

This enchanting story, told in rhyming verse, is about a standoffish bird that learns the value of friendship and working together. Being a bit insular myself I found it heartwarming and a reminder of the importance of having meaningful connections.

According to the notes at the end of the picture book the Go-Away Bird is a real species of bird living in Africa that is known for its distinctive cry.

While I don’t have children of my own I do have friends and family who are raising children and so I am very pleased to be able to recommend this sweet tale to them.

Always such a delight to read a new Julia Donaldson book. I am grateful to the publisher and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Go-Away Bird.
I am sure this will be a firm favourite with younger children. Using rhymes and illustrated with beautiful pictures, the Go-Away Bird is bound to be a hit.
This will definitely be bought for my nieces and nephews for their birthdays this year. They will love it.

A really lovely children's book with a great rhythm and lovely illustrations. And the message about the importance of friends is nice too.

Ah I loved this! It's charming, funny and it has a lovely rhythm to it as well as a lesson to be learned. 100% classic Julia Donaldson.

Now I'm going to admit Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are the dream team of children's books in my head (probably because their books where my son's favourites when he was little) but the pictures in The Go-Away Bird, drawn by a different artist, were beautiful and engaging and complimented the story wonderfully well forcing me to re-evaluate my knee jerk reaction that no one else can do Donaldson's books as well as he can: Catherine Rayner kicks ass.

I highly recommend this one for the little kiddos!

A loner bird realises that they need friends to survive. Huh. Very simplistic message about friendship particularly as it only comes about during a time of crisis rather than the more general ennui we tend to feel after being alone for so long. Not very compelling or interesting. Art is very pretty though.

Julia Donaldson's rhyming text and Catherine Rayner's colourful illustrations are always a winning combination and the Go-Away Bird is a lovely story about pride going before a fall and the power of friendship. The bright colours and intricate leaf details are just wonderful and the get-You bird is suitable dark and intimidating. The book would make a fab read aloud and there are plenty of discussion points along the theme of teamwork and relationships.