"A heart stopping adventure for three damaged birds seeking a safe haven."
May 2026 Book of the Month
This extraordinary story from the Carnegie winning author, is a masterclass in how to write animal stories without a whiff of sentimentality. That is not to say that it will not tug at your heart strings, because it surely will. Beaky, Herman and Pidge, the three birds at the centre of this tale, will live with you way beyond the final page.
Nicknamed by Jordie, a young lad who spots them on a station platform and can immediately tell that these birds are different and are struggling to survive. Beaky is a young jackdaw with a twisted beak, Herman an old crow with a broken wing and Pidge, a pigeon with badly damaged feet. Despite Jordie’s best attempts to share food with them, they always lose out to more able-bodied birds.
The trio, united by their bad luck, discover how they came to be at the station. Whereas the other two were aimless wanderers, Herman, before breaking his wing, had been on his way to Dump. His mother had told him of this refuge for birds, where food is plentiful and where white angels would care for you.
With little else to hope for, Beaky and Pidge like the sound of this and the unlikely trio set off. But as Herman warned from the outset, this is a journey fraught with danger, especially for birds who cannot (or will not, in Pidge’s case) fly.
Facing the constant threat of starvation, surviving encounters with wily cats, fearsome dogs and deadly stoats, negotiating physical and manmade obstacles, they gradually forge a real bond. Although we can and do empathise with the characters as they reveal the tragic circumstances which led to their situation and can enjoy their bickering and banter, these are never anything other than birds in a natural landscape. It is a very fine line to tread, but it is superbly handled by a writer with a depth of knowledge and a very real passion for the natural world in all its cruel beauty.
Inevitably there is an increasing sense of dread building in the reader, who will not have the same hopes for Dump as our brave birds, and will be aware of the deadly hunters on their trail. Seeing how cruelly disability is taken advantage of in nature could well prompt some interesting discussions about human society too. With the author’s characteristic beautifully spare and accessible prose and the bonus of Keith Robinson’s superb illustration, this has appeal to a wide age range.
A truly unforgettable story of survival against the odds. which is brim full of tragedy and loss, bravery, love and hope and which has future classic written all over it!
A thrilling and heart-breaking animal adventure from the Carnegie-winning author of Lark.
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A thrilling and heart-breaking animal adventure from the Carnegie-winning author of Lark. Life can be tough when you're a bird, and is especially tough for Herman, Beaky and Pidge.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Birdlands and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Birdlands features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, Adventure Stories, Historical Fiction, Animal Stories, The Natural World, PSHE: Bereavement and Grief, Ecological and Environmental Interest - Non Fiction, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s / Teenage general interest: Dogs and wolves, Classic Literature, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage: Social issues / topics, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Large land mammals, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Mammals, Children’s / Teenage: General interest
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Birdlands was written by Anthony McGowan and published by Rock the Boat an imprint of Oneworld Publications
Birdlands has 194 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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