What a beautifully written children's story delicately addressing complex subjects such as trauma, healing, hope and resilience through the aid of nature and friendship.
The characterisation was touching. A book I would recommend.

Katya Balen is a master at writing stories. Her language is phenomenal and the themes she approaches are done in the most beautiful manner.

This one follows Annie, who is trying to get on with her life after a fatal car crash changed her world. She used to immerse herself in music but now feels she cannot play her beloved flute. She makes friends with a boy called Noah and they discover blackbirds.

This is a beautiful story about grief, moving on, friendship and found family. The prose is wonderful and, as ever, Katya Balen has produced a masterpiece. Thank you so much for the ARC.

Music, friendship and nature are the catalyst for a restorative journey back to health - both physical and mental - in Katya Balen’s exquisite Barrington Stoke debut.

Music used to be Annie’s entire world but after the crash everything changed. Unable to play her beloved flute, her musical existence has been replaced by an angry silence. Angry that she has to move; angry that her damaged arm no longer does what it once did; angry with her mum for causing her all this pain and anguish.

In a patch of wild garden near their flat block she meets Noah, a protector and feeder of a family of blackbirds. The birds bring Annie comfort and their song is the spark to reconnect her with music. But when tragedy strikes and the blackbirds fall silent, will Annie lose music forever…

A gentle, heartwarming and empathy-filled story of a young girl who slowly recovers from trauma with the help of a boy, some feathered friend and the sweet sound of music. Every so often a life-changing event comes along and completely knocks us sideways, turning our perfect and comfortable little worlds upside down. Providing comfort for the soul, Birdsong gives hope that trauma can be dealt with, recovered from and life can be restored to its fullest.

In dark times it is easier to hide away, to retreat from life and to let dreams perish. It takes strength, perseverance and bravery to rise from the ashes and Annie, Noah and the blackbirds provide a reassuring and note-perfect soundtrack to healing that many will need. The beautiful connection with nature, the blossoming friendship and the parallel of a female blackbird dealing with its own terrible tragedy make for a musical and thoughtful exploration of the difficulties in starting life again, overcoming the fear of failure and finding the courage to face things heads on.

Read it slowly and cherish each and every word. ‘There is music everywhere - if you know how to listen.’

Recommended for 9+.

A lovely pitch perfect middle grade book, with beautiful illustrations. The power of music and nature and trusting again after bad things happen. Completely wholesome and good for the soul.

A sad but uplifting tale about finding hope in unlikely places, forging new friendships, and appreciating what you have around you.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Birdsong is a heartwarming and beautiful story aboutva girl called Annie. Annie's recently been in a car accident and has lost the movement in her fingers which is devastating for her as she loves playing her flute and making music. Annies mother then loses her job and this means they now have to move to a smaller place. Annie befriends a boy (Noah) who is trying to save a birds nest. Annie has a lot of healing to do both physically and mentally and her relationship with her mum has been fractured too. Annie's new friend Noah grow closer through their joint love of music but then more tragedy strikes Annie's life. This book was only short at 104 pages but is such an emotional and heartwrenching story from start to finish. It teaches so much about hope, perseverance and even nature. The illustrations are very fitting to the theme of the book and I felt they were a good match.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Earlier this year Katya Balen managed to pull off the feat of not only winning the Carnegie Medal, but the Shadower's Choice Carnegie too, for her book 'October, October.' Whilst I enjoyed October, October, I was sceptical about w Thank you to the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Earlier this year Katya Balen managed to pull off the feat of not only winning the Carnegie Medal, but the Shadower's Choice Carnegie too, for her book 'October, October.' Whilst I enjoyed October, October, I was sceptical about whether or not it was in actuality, a children's book for grown ups. I'm fully willing to take the L on that one - I was wrong. When I saw Balen had another book coming out I decided to give her another go.

I'll start by saying that Birdsong is pitched younger than I usually go for - I reckon this book sits more comfortably in the Upper KS2 readership than the lower KS3 that makes up our youngest cohort. That being said, Birdsong is a beautiful little book about resilience and the importance of friendship and community to that resilience. It was the perfect early Autumn cosy read! I'd recommend this to anyone who knows a young child who is trying to make sense of a traumatic event they might not be fully able to understand yet themselves - I think it would be a great source of comfort.

Short, sweet, and beautiful! This Hi-Low book was a lovely exploration of how one injured and traumatized young girl is able to find her way back to herself.

Another stunning book from Katya Balen. It is beautifully written with fabulous characterisation. The Barrington Stokes titles are short, but this story packs a punch and a copy should be on every child's reading shelf.

The story is about Annie, a talented musician, who has lost her way in life following a terrible car accident. It is clear that she is traumatised and unable to move on from the affects of this tragedy. However, a new friendship with Noah, enables her to see the world differently and fall back in love with music through his love of nature and, specifically, a local family of blackbirds.

Wonderful messages - the power of music, friendship, nature, recovery, so many themes to discuss and consider.

This book shows that we cannot underestimate the power of nature and friendship. Annie is a very low point in her life, although she survived a serious car accident, the injury to her arm means she struggles to play her beloved flute…and music was everything to her. Annie spies Noah from her apartment window, crawling on his hands and knees in the bushes. Annie’s curiosity gets the better of her, and meeting Noah and ‘his’ blackbirds, make her want to try and find the music again. Simply told and full of heart, the perfect introduction to Katya Balen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington Stoke for the opportunity to review this title.

Birdsong packs a heartwarming punch. Annie has been in a an accident with her mother, and her injured arm means that she is longer able to play the flute, her beloved instrument. To make matters worse, their deteriorating financial situation means they have to move. Annie is angry at the world, and at her mother. But then she meets Noah, who takes care of a sweet blackbird family -- until one day the mother bird loses her desire to sing. Will Annie and the Mamma blackbird find their music again?

This is a powerful novella about the effects of trauma and the healing power of music. It's very short, and of course accessible like all Barrington Stoke novels. It would be ideal for a short class readaloud for students in Years 4-7, or for anyone who understands the transformative power of music.

This was such a sweet little story. Girl suffering after an accident finds a friend who helps her find a way to move forward by taking care of birds. I thought this was middle grade but it was very short and really would probably only be appealing for older elementary children. It was sweet and had good lessons in it. I’ll be putting it in my back pocket to save for when my children are a little older.

View my YouTube review here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilEmnr-dNgY

"When I played, the whole world faded away."

Because I so enjoyed one of Balen's previous books, October, October, I was thrilled to be approved by the publisher for an ARC of this one.

This slender volume, barely 100 pages, reads more like a short story than a novel, but packs an emotional wallop.

Though she was all set to attend an elite music school, a terrible accident has left young Annie both unable to play the flute, and forgive her mother. The silence between them is truly deafening.

Can a new friend, and some new responsibilities put the music back in her soul?

Another lovely story by Katya Balen.

Annie loves music. She loves her flute that makes music. She loves to find the music in the world. This love is burried under anger and trauma when a car crash causes her to lose the mobility in her fingers. This crash caused her mother to lose her job and the beautiful apartment in the city. Annie is angry, and she forgets to listen for the beauty in the world while her circumstances keep reminding her of what she's lost.

Fortunately, Annie meets a new friend named Noah who is trying to save a black bird's nest. They bond over the song of the bird, but tragedy strikes again. This time Annie can choose how to navigate through the difficult emotions.

I appreciate Belin chosing to use a car crash to address perseverance, anger, hope, healing, and change for children. The story is very short and lyrical. Perfect for a young reader interested in realistic fiction and who loves music.

Age: 8-12
Trigger Warning: animal death by natural causes
Topics: perseverance, trauma, hope, change
Length: novella, 88 pages

Thank you @netgalley & @barringtonstoke for the opportunity to provide an honest review and early look at a beautiful story.

This was such a lovely story. Annie struggles with an injury, unable to reconnect with the music that was her passion, and fearful of trying to recapture it in case she fails. Then an unexpected friendship helps her confront her fears and recapture her future. It's so beautifully written, the wonder of nature and the song of the blackbirds are perfectly captured, as are Annie's turbulent emotions as she faces both the accident and moving on. This packs so much into a short story, proving yet again what wonderful books Barrington Stoke produces. I loved it.

This book was so moving it actually made me cry. It was so beautiful. It is the story of Annie who had lost so much that was important to her in an accident . The story focuses on her recovery and the support of those around her. My favourite book of the year so far. The children will love this. I'll keep the tissues handy though.

This was a short and sweet middle grade read! Annie loves music and sees it everywhere in her surroundings. 7 months after a car accident, she is unable to use her fingers to be able to play the flute the way she used to. Also, her mother lost her job while caring for Annie after the accident and they had to move into a small apartment. Annie makes a new friend Noah, who cares for a blackbird nest. The illustrations fit the mood of the story very well. This story really connects with the magic of nature and music and hope and persistence in the face of adversity. Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC and the opportunity to share my opinions on the book!

Beautiful tale about music, the healing power of nature & thriving again after trauma.

Katya Balen writes as wondrously as ever & Barrington Stoke work their magic to once more bless the world with a dyslexia-friendly novella that compromises nothing in literary class 🎶

I teared up! What a beautifully written story about trauma, healing, hope and finding the courage to get back up on our feet after tragedy. Annie is a well-developed protagonist whom I rooted for and whose journey I enjoyed following. I loved the parallels between her and the female blackbird, as well as her budding friendship with Noah. The author also did a great job in addressing guilt. The grayscale illustrations looked so beautiful even on my Kindle.

Don't be fooled by the short length as this moving and uplifting novella packs quite the punch!

A beautiful story about hope and perseverance and the beauty of music.

Annie loves music and finds music all around her. However, after a car crash seven months ago, she has lost the ability to manoeuvre her fingers, thus making her incapable of playing her beloved flute. To add to the woes, her mom has lost her job and they have shifted into a small apartment where the only view from the window is buildings. However, one day, she spots a boy in the little garden below her building. Noah is doing his best to save the little blackbirds’ nest. Annie and Noah bond over this duty and the lovely music of the blackbirds reignites Annie’s passion to give her flute another go. But tragedy strikes again and it is up to Annie to see what she can make of the new situation. The story is written in the first person point of view of Annie.

Annie’s age isn’t mentioned anywhere in the story, and I guess this is a good decision because it opens up the tale to a wider age range. The lyrical writing adds to the charm of the book. It is almost as if it were paying an ode to nature. There are so many ideas that the book raises – the healing power of music, the marvels of nature, the importance of persevering and not giving up hope.

The illustrations are in grayscale and somewhat gloomy, but they match the story well.

The book is suitable for ages 8-12. Definitely recommended.

Trigger warning: There is an animal death. (It is by natural causes but still, better to be aware of this in case your child is sensitive about this.)

4.5 stars from me.

My thanks to Barrington Stoke and NetGalley for the DRC of “Birdsong”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.