Another beautiful Barrington Stoke reader - these are always a hit in our classrooms. Loved the way that quite mature themes were dealt with but in a child friendly way. A really important message told through a heartwarming story.

It is a little bit sad charming story.
Don't want to set expectation too high but it has some The Secret Garden vibe.
Illustrations are beautiful and fitting a story.
My tiny problem with a book was the main character because most of the time she was behaving as entitled to SUFFER and blame her mum.
But the ending was nice, it would be even nicer to elaborate a little more.

To conclude it is a beautiful middle-grade book and I would gladly buy it as a present or for myself because of illustrations and the story good as well.

ARC was given by NetGalley & Barrington Stokes in exchange for an honest review.

This review is being published before the release date (July 7th, 2022)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Car accident, trauma/PTSD, grief, death of an animal, brief mentions of blood




“There is music everywhere – if you know how to listen.”

Wow, what a powerful read. Wow, wow, wow! I always find that middle grade books have some of the strongest themes that kids need to read about and this is definitely one of those books. Filled with conversations of finding one’s passion again after a tragic accident, finding the strength to move on past tragedy, and so much more. Birdsong is one of those reads that can make anyone feel seen.

Annie Ford loves music and has a special talent with the flute. However, after tragedy strikes, Annie loses her ability to play her beloved flute. Now after moving and having her world turned upside down, Annie struggles with finding the motivation to allow herself to heal or even talk about the feels she’s suppressing inside. Until one day she meets a boy named Noah, who tends to a blackbird family in the bushes. Soon, Annie not only made a new friend, but slowly realizes that with the help of these feathery friends, she’s slowly beginning to heal.

I really enjoyed Annie as our main character! Annie is a main character who’s had her entire world turned upside down and I think there’s going to be so many children who will end up relating to Annie, and what’s she’s been through. For myself, Annie reminds me of a lot of some of the things that I experienced and felt as a kid. I feel like I say this all the time with middle grade books, but I truly wish I had had a book like this growing up because seeing characters like Annie can change your perspective especially when you’re a kid. And Annie is far from being a perfect main character. She’s angry and grieving, but healing and scared of if she has a future with her passion. She’s all of those things as she navigates so many changes.

There’s also a theme of healing and how healing is never linear, but also how you can begin your healing journey in the unlikeliest ways/places. And I really loved how the author used the blackbirds as the center of Annie’s healing journey. Of course, Noah and music helps, but the blackbirds really help Annie and her journey back to the the that brings her the most joy. Annie finds her way to healing and forgiving the person she’s the most angry at too. All of it flows so well together and it’s a steady process of ups and downs, but it’s such a good theme we need to see more often in books.

“I fill the space around me with music. I don’t play anything that I’ve learned. I just play. I play for me and I play for the bird who has lost so much.”

My only major issue with this book is that it feels so short. Actually, it feels shorter than most middle grade books. I think if the author would have added more to the story, like a few chapters, then I think it would add to what’s already established in the story. However, I feel like I say this with most books that are on the quicker side of reading.

Overall, this was a really wonderful and emotional read. I really enjoyed so many themes within in this book and just reading from Annie’s perspective was such a nice treat. Again, this is a short read and would be perfect for reading challenges or something to read if you’re looking for those fast reads (for all your traveling adventures too).


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

This was a really sweet story of the power of both nature and friendship. Even though it is part of the Barrington Stokes series for readers who struggle more the story was complex and believable even while being accessible.

Birdsong is perfect for those children that have just moved on to chapter books, each page is just long enough to build up their reading stamina.

Katya Balen has a wonderful way with words and Birdsong is well written, and easy for a child to understand. It is filled with so much figurative language that it's hard not to picture Annie or the blackbird in your mind when they are crafting their music.
The story follows Annie who has moved from her home with her mum after a devastating accident that has affected her love of music. She strikes up a friendship with a boy from her new neighborhood that is looking after a pair of blackbirds.

The tale absorbs the reader from the first page and is a recommended read for those in Y5 upwards.

Absolutely beautifully written story to appeal to ks2. Especially valuable to those less confident readers who still enjoy a highly engaging storyline. I often share sentences/phrases I love with a colleague and when reading this I was constantly ringing her saying "Listen to this bit", it has gone to the top of her wishlist die to my enthusiastic over it.

Thank you for netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free copy of this to review
I loved the story so much. It's so inspiring and emotional and the writing style is absolutely amazing. It's simple yet very poetic. Even though it's a short story but I think the author made a great job introducing the characters it felt right and not hurried at all. Would definitely recommend this for a quick read I enjoyed it so much.

Birdsong is an incredible middle-grade novel about a young girl struggling to find a "new normal" after a car accident damages her way of connecting with the world. This heartwarming story reminds readers that friendship, strength, and bravery come in many shapes and sizes.

As a special education teacher, the high-interest low-vocabulary aspect of this novel will make it a great addition to my classroom library. I will definitely be using this in my lessons/novel studies once it's published!

ARC provided by NetGalley and Barrington Stroke in exchange for a fair review.

I've read October, October by Katya, so I know how much emotion she can pack into a story. This is a shorter book, so I sort of thought it wouldn't have that punch. Boy, was I wrong! Katya puts just as much into this book as she did October.

When I read the blurb, I got the idea that Annie was deafened in the accident. That's not what happened, but the actual injury might be worse. I can't imagine having to deal with it at that age. Katya does a fantastic job keeping things at the reader's level without dumbing anything down.

I read this in an ebook format, but in print this will have all of Barrington's usual additions - cream coloured paper, special font, careful spacing. They're amazing reads.

This is absolutely brilliant. I can't wait to see what Katya comes up with for her next novel - she's on my autoread list now and I will be waiting eagerly to see what she puts me through next!

Birdsong is a short story about a girl called Annie who, after a car accident, can no longer play the flute. Devastated that she can no longer make music and haunted by memories of the crash, she slowly finds the magic of music again in an unlikely place.

This was short but poignant. A stunning story about loss and hope. I really enjoyed this and think many people will love it too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington Stoke for an arc copy.

50 Word Review

Short but beautifully formed, this Hi-Lo book says so much in such a small space. Through lyrical prose and stunning illustrations we follow Annie after a devastating accident as she recovers her mind and soul through a new friend, nature and her passion for music. Uplifting, simple, human and captivating.

Really enjoyed this middle grade novella that deals with family relationships and dealing with crisis.

This short novel was simple but moving. I connected with all the characters, and reading about music and blackbirds immersed me in the story.

Some things seemed a bit too on the nose, but ultimately this was a sweet, short novella.

This is a beautiful book telling the story of Annie who following a car crash is left unable to play the flute which brings her joy. Following the move to anew home with her mum, Annie befriends Noah a boy who is fascinated by blackbirds. Annie too is enthralled and learns the connection between birdsong and her challenge to pay the flute again. This is a sensitive and charming book bringing the reader closer to nature and recognising the beauty of simplicity. This is a book I will be reading to children of 8-10 and encouraging them to explore the nature around them. A message of hope and perseverance as well as a window into nature’s magic and influence . A winner And one for key stage 2 teachers

Birdsong is a beautiful book - a harmonious composition of hope and perseverance, even through the hardest times.

The story follows Annie, a talented musician recovering from a car accident injury that has left her unable to play her flute in the way she wants. We meet her just as she is moving house and is feeling rather hopeless about the future and her abandoned plans.

While settling in to her new flat, she meets a bird-watching neighbour, Noah, who introduces her to the local blackbirds. As the story progresses, watching and listening to the birds helps Annie’s recovery, both mentally and physically.

Like in so many of Katya Balen’s books, the themes of honesty and trust sing throughout. Annie wants to bottle everything up, but soon finds that when she shares her dreams, fears and feelings with those around her, she starts to feel happier and more hopeful.

Katya Balen has such a skill for conveying emotion in just a few words. It was a compelling read, and one that I will be reminded of for a good while yet when I hear the blackbirds sing in my garden.

I absolutely loved this book. It is a quick read, but it is truly beautiful. I will need to buy my daughter a copy as it was made for her! The main character is a young girl who is a talented musician who can no longer play following an accident. At the start of the book she is sad and angry at how her life has changed. Through friendship, and a unlikely relationship with a family of blackbirds she heals, mentally and physically. It is a stunning story of recovery and friendship, set in the midst of urban nature.

A lovely little story, specially written to be a short easy read for older children who struggle with reading. These books are great because they’re written by well-known authors and have depth and maturity but they are very accessible.
In this story, Annie is recovering mentally and physically after a car accident in which her arm was badly injured, so much so that she has stopped playing the flute and given up her dream to attend a prestigious music school.
But when Annie and her mother move to a new flat, she meets Noah and he shows her the blackbird nest. Noah and Annie try to protect the precious nest and listen with wonder as the blackbirds sing their songs. Can the music and friendship help Annie to recover her dreams?

Birdsong is another beautifully lyrical offering from Katya Balen. Published by Barrington Stoke, it is a short and accessible text about nature, healing and dealing with loss. It would be enjoyed by any fan of Balen and more confident readers would enjoy the beauty in her writing.

This is a beautiful, poetic, and simple story that readers of all ages would enjoy. Balen makes this sparse style of writing look easy but it really isn't. Another perfectly pitched title from Barrington Stoke.

After a car crash Annie can’t play her flute any longer and she looses her love for music. She’s mad at her mom and mad that she can’t play the flute. But then she meets Noah. He shows her a hidden blackbirds nest and their friendship starts to grow. Can Noah or even the blackbirds help her to find her passion for music again?

The book is written in a way that everybody should be able to read it. The publisher calls it Hi–Lo (High Interest–low ability). I never heard of this before but I really liked the idea of that.

It was a cute story and for more advanced readers it will also be an easy and fast read.

The plot was very predictable for me but I still enjoyed the story.

There were a few moments where I wished would be more explained or a bit more detailed. Sometimes the story felt a little flat and not a lot emotions were included.

After all I think it’s a nice story for young readers and that it’s worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington stoke for this EARC!