This is a lovely book about a boy who finds a budgie. Miles and his friend Chris love to spend time together and decide to to climb a tree, much to the annoyance of their neighbour Mr Buxton. When Chris’s family go away on holiday though, Miles is bored and decides to play around the estate himself. He soon discovers a bird, a budgie that can’t seem to fly, and decides to take it home in the hopes of keeping it.

The story is a fun and simple one with Miles discovering a budgie that he later names Pippin. I like how this story begins with Miles and his friend Chris seemingly annoying his neighbour Mr Buxton before setting off on their bikes while Mr Buxton calls after them. Miles later sees Mr Buxton acting strange on the estate with a plastic bag before later going out to play and finding a budgie sitting alone. When Miles takes the bird home his mum allows him to keep it and he decides to name it Pippin, but soon it becomes clear that something is wrong with poor Pippin, he seems unwell and Miles isn’t sure what to do.

The story is good and I like how attached Miles becomes to little Pippin and some of the lovely descriptions of how soft and colourful he is. Children often do get very attached to animals of all kinds and I love how this budgie finds a home in Miles’s heart so quickly, but later something sad happens and the story shows well how sad this moment is but also how Miles copes with what happens, the lovely way his sister is involved too, and I like what happens later when Miles meets Mr Buxton and finds out something more about the old man which he didn’t know.

There are some lovely illustrations throughout the story, both of the characters and the budgie and there’s a lovely budgie image at the start of every chapter too. I love these illustrations which bring to life the characters emotions and the colourful bird and the illustrations help make the story more special. Being a Barrington Stoke book which is especially made for dyslexic and reluctant readers, this book will probably be printed on thick paper and be a more pocket sized book (a little shorter than a normal book size) like all the Little Gems series of books are. The text is easy to read with paragraphs separated and it uses a special dyslexia friendly font too making it so much easier to read. The book is also very short at less than a hundred pages making it a quick and fun read too.

Overall I like this story, it shows the way a child can get attached to an animal and the lovely way they treat it too. But it’s also a deeper story about first impressions and how they aren’t always right, and this is shown well when Miles later meets Mr Buxton and learns something about him. The story is good, fun and the illustrations make it all the more fun too. A lovely and inclusive read too.

This is another excellent book in the Little Gems series, a range of books for dyslexic or struggling readers published by Barrington Stoke and written by a range of highly-regarded and popular authors. Budgie is by Joseph Coelho, current Children's Laureate, and while is a narrative story as opposed to the poetry I usually read by him, still has his poetic style and flair running throughout.

"Mr Buxton is always having a go at Miles and his friends for climbing the trees outside their tower block. Miles thinks he’s just a grumpy old man but when he finds a lost little budgie, Miles also discovers that he and Mr Buxton have more in common than he could ever have imagined." This is a short story, full of beautiful metaphors and descriptions.

I really enjoyed it but I currently use many of the Little Gem books for the children in my classes that struggle with decoding and/or comprehension as the simple sentence structure and language choices are perfect for them. Due to the poetic language, frequent metaphor use and occasional fragmented sentences, I would have to be more selective with which child I give this to. I'm not saying that struggling readers shouldn't and can't access more poetic language at all. It's just that they may struggle with these elements if attempting to read independently.

I'm a big Joseph Coelho fan and have been pushing Barrington Stokes as a publisher to all educators and many parents that I have encountered for many years now. I'm so glad that they have collaborated and produced this lovely inclusive and warm story.

Thank you to Barrinton Stoke and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advance in exchange for an honest review.

Budgie is the latest Little Gems release from children's book publisher Barrington Stoke, one that focuses on the love that people have for animals, and how that can bring us together.

The story centres on Miles, a young boy who's out playing with his friend one day, but gets chased off from climbing a tree by Mr Buxton, an elderly man who lives nearby. Miles runs home, and watches out of his window as Mr Buxton wanders around the park, waving a big black bag in the air.

The next day Miles heads outside to play and spots something unusual, a bright green and yellow budgie. The small bird seems to be having a tough time flying around, so Miles is able to pick up the bird and bring him home. His mother agrees to let him keep the bird, who Miles calls Pippin. Miles and Pippin bond over the rest of the day, with the small bird flying around the apartment, and playing on Miles hand and shoulder.

The following morning, however, Pippin doesn't seem to be very well, and whilst Miles' mum is trying to get in touch with a vet Pippin falls down in his cage, dead. Miles and his younger sister are sad at the loss of their new bird, and spend the rest of the day saying goodbye to him, drawing pictures of him, and writing letters about how he made them feel. They bury Pippin in the park. Later that day the family are visited by Mr Buxton, who reveals that Pippin was his bird, and he and Miles begin to share stories about the tiny animal, and their shared loss brings them together.

I wanted to make it pretty clear in my review of Budgie that the story kills the bird, I wasn't aware of that before reading it, and actually found the twist to be not only surprising, but a little upsetting too. I have budgies, so perhaps that's why it ended up effecting me more than I thought, but the sudden twist in this story of a boy making friends with a tiny bird for it to then die was jarring to say the least. As such, any parent interested in the book should probably be aware of that before going into it, so as best to avoid ending up with an upset child, or a difficult talk about death.

That being said, the book is very bittersweet, and whilst Pippin (real name Lemon) dies his passing does end up bringing people together. We get a chance to get to know Mr Buxton, and see him as more than the scary older man that Miles had decided he was. There's a surprising depth that happens in the latter half of the book, and it's lovely to see where things go. I especially liked the fact that Mr Buxton had a husband, and that he and Mr Buxton had Lemon together as their first pet. The book doesn't make a big deal about one of the characters being gay, and treats his relationship as completely normal; which is absolutely the kind of lessons children should be learning.

The book if filled with wonderful, full colour illustrations by David Barrow, who really helps to bring the story to life. The art is simple, yet conveys a lot, and manages to pack in all of the important details. It has a way of translating the emotions of the scenes well, and I adored how much it brought Lemon to life on the page. I suspect that a number of younger readers might come away wanting a bird of their own after reading this book.

Budgie was a surprisingly touching and emotional read, one that I think shows not only how quickly people can come to care for animals, but how even through losing them the love that they bring into our lives can bring people together.

Deep and meaningful stories do not need to be long to leave a lasting impression. Joseph Coelho’s Barrington Stoke debut proves that they can be short, wonderful, moving and accessible to young readers of 5+.

Miles and his best friend Chris love to climb the trees on the estate where they live. Unfortunately, their grumpy neighbour Mr Buxton seems intent on stopping the boys doing the thing they love, chasing them out of the branches whenever he sees them. When Miles finds an injured budgie whom he takes into his care he discovers that Mr Buxton isn’t quite as angry as he first thought and that he and the old man share more in common than he could have ever imagined…

A lost pet connects an old man and a spirited young boy, bringing about surprising revelations in Coelho’s heartwarming and empathetic Budgie. Centred around a love of nature, this tale of grief, loss, community, the importance of not making incorrect judgements and the joys that can be found when relationships transcend generations is a charming and heartfelt journey of discovery. And whilst one dear thing is lost, something special is found.

Lyrically written and sumptuously illustrated this emotional and tender little package plucks gently on the heartstrings. In a short story with a huge heart readers are taken on an emotional roller coaster; tears may be shed at the sad loss of a feathered friend but ultimately we are left feeling rather uplifted and with warmed hearts as stories of a budgie’s life well-lived are shared and the young and the old form an everlasting bond.

A tender and beautiful read that would be best be shared with an adult who can guide young readers through the difficult themes and answer any questions that may arise. As with all Barrington Stoke titles the book is published using dyslexic friendly font and colours so everyone can enjoy this important read.

Recommended for 5+.

With huge thanks to Barrington Stoke for the copy I received in exchange for an honest review.

It won't be every publishers who can poach Joseph Coelho away from his poetry and his demands as Children's Laureate, but this tiny piece of fiction is a perfect match with who it is bringing it to us. Here we see Miles, a typical estate kid, fond of cycling round the area and climbing trees, who stumbles across a sorry budgie, and takes it home. What follows is really quite lyrical and clear writing about how the bird brings the outside into the flat with him – flight and motion and freedom – and how the budgie takes the lad's imagination away into the beyond, to swirl and swoop at liberty.

What follows is also something rather unexpected, perhaps, but done very well – the whole set of beats of the drama coming thick and fast in hindsight but in perfectly judged fashion on the page. Designed to be a book for those choosing fictions for their own for the first time, this has the modern, youthful, slightly colloquial delivery, and while thumping its woke credentials more than is at all needed, is still a very welcome success. A strong four stars.

In a Nutshell: A beautiful, somewhat bittersweet story about how a bird connects a young boy and an old man.

Miles, who is a spirited young fellow, loves climbing trees and running around with his friend Chris. They always end up antagonising old Mr. Buxton, who is constantly yelling at them to get off the trees.
When Chris goes on vacation and Miles is wandering about alone on the estate grounds, he finds a lost budgie. Miles lovingly brings it back home, where his mum and his four-year-old sister Mary help him take care of the bird. There are some happy moments with the new pet before tragedy strikes.
The story is written in the first person perspective of Miles.

What you should know about this book:
🐤 This is a chapter book for early readers. Ideal for ages 5+.
🐤 It has about 3-5 paragraphs per page, with the font size being big and clear and easy on the eyes.
🐤 There are many colourful, quirky illustrations that add to the fun. (I loved how Maya and Mum were sketched.)
🐤 This is a Little Gems publication. So if you buy the physical copy, the chunky format fits little hands perfectly, and the activities hiding in the jacket flaps add to the reading fun. (I have just made myself jealous of all those who have the physical copy. Sigh… 😢)

What I loved about this book:
🐦 The entire story is heartfelt. Loved the emotions balanced with the fun moments.
🐦 Though the story is mainly that of Miles and the budgie, Mary and their Mum also have their little moments of sunshine. Little Mary won my heart with her cheerful demeanor. Mum isn’t portrayed as a typical single parent.
🐦 Most children’s books talk about cats or dogs as pets. It was refreshing to see a budgie as the centre of attraction. (I wonder why these aren’t more popular in children’s fiction. They are so colourful and cute – the perfect animal MCs!)
🐦 Joseph Coelho is a poet, and (I think) this is one of his few non-poetry books. But his lyrical talent is very clear in the way he strings words together. Sample this: “I shimmy down the trunk in a shower of pine needles.” So vivid!
🐦 There are many things revealed only if you read between the lines, whether it is the financial situation of Miles’ family or the way he constantly compares his life with that of Chris. This book helps wonderfully in understanding the characters much beyond the words that describe them. Teachers would find this a helpful resource in training children on deep reading.
🐦 There is PoC and LGBTQ representation, and both are beautifully handled.
🐦 There are many interesting themes & messages covered within this little story: handling death and grief, pet care, the impact of caging birds, not judging by appearances, being careful while doing fun but risky activities. It also highlights the amazing bond between children and parents, and also unlikely friendships.
🐦 The story also reminds children that adults tell them something for a reason, and if they focus on the reason, they wont feel like they are being commanded about. It also reminds adults to focus on how they say things to children rather than on what to say to them.

All in all, this is a beautiful story, though a bit sad at times. It delivers a touching focus on family and friendships, and bonding over sad moments. Definitely recommended for reading with adult supervision, as there is a strong trigger alert.

4.5 stars.

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

Trigger warning: pet death.

This is a gorgeous short story about community, connecting with neighbours and grief. Joseph Coelho is one of my favourite author and he evokes emotion in everything he writes. Budgie instantly took me back to the time my grandparents had a budgie, filling me with a childhood nostalgia and memories of climbing trees, grumpy neighbours and friendship.
The connection between Mr. Buxton and Miles is not only touching but encourages those intergenerational friendships which seem to be so undervalued in society. As the elderly are forgotten, so are their stories. Yet Mr. Buxton reminds us that we can learn so much from older people and their experiences and that they need connection too.
This is the second Barrington Stoke book I have read on NetGalley and the stories are brilliant: high quality, engaging and, most importantly, short and accessible, Any new release from them will definitely catch my eye in the future and the authors they work with are exceptional.

From the moment you pick up this book you can tell that the words on the page are written by a poet. They dance off the page elegantly throughout the story.

Coelho takes us on a journey of Miles and Mr Buxton, who is always grumpy. Miles discovers a budgie living in the trees below his building.
The story is a rollercoaster of emotions and talks about Miles' grief honestly and openly.

David Barrow's bright and beautiful illustrations compliment Coelho's writing perfectly.

Themes in this book include grief and misjudging people, this is a gentle heartwarming tale for all ages.

The story starts off with two boys climbing a tree and getting told off by their neighbour. One day, Miles finds a budgie and decides to look after it.

It is a very heartwarming story about understanding and misunderstandings, friendship across species and friendship across generations.

It is quite a change to see Joseph Coelho not writing in verse. His writing is as beautiful as ever.

No,. YOU'VE got something in your eye.

From the opening page you can just tell that this is written by a poet, and not just any poet of course but Joseph Coelho, The gentle yet confident touch with words brings us straight into the life of Miles, his family, Mr Buxton and of course Pippin/Lemon.

Coelho takes on a wonderful journey of discovery as Miles discovers a budgie in the trees below his building. He takes care of the budgie, but the budgie dies after just one day and one night. Written in the first person I love how Coelho handles Miles's grief in a very real manner and doesn't gloss over it. The beautiful twist is discovering the budgie actually belonged to Mr Buxton - and so a wonderful scene unfolds in which a great connection is made between Mr Buxton and Miles, encouraging Miles to rethink his previous misconception of Mr Buxton as an angry old man.

How have I got this far in the review and not yet mentioned David Barrow's illustrations?! Well, I wanted to give them plenty of space. Gorgeous, sumptuous full colour illustrations help build atmosphere, setting and character into this wonderful story.

Charming and heartfelt - fillled with emotions and wonder.

Another great quality read from Barrington Stoke.,

Reviewed by Emma Perry

Miles and his friend, Chris, love climbing trees, but Mr. Buxton, their old, grumpy neighbour, is always trying to ruin their fun, making them get down. When Miles finds an injured budgie on the estate and takes it home, he never suspects that he might end up learning more about Mr Buxton and finding out that they have more in common than he thinks.
This is a beautiful story about compassion and understanding, about learning to see past appearances and first impressions and understanding that people are not always what they seem.
Dealing with loss is something many young children have to face and this is a great book for opening up discussions around bereavement and grief in a sensitive, non-threatening way.
Barrington Stoke publications can always be relied upon to make sure all children see themselves, their families and their communities represented in literature.
David Barrow’s illustrations perfectly complement this gentle heartwarming tale. The bright, colourful detail against the soft, pastel shades bring a feeling of warmth and joy.
A perfect story/book for younger readers who want to attempt a first-chapter book, or an older, more reluctant reader who finds heavy text based books daunting.

A truly gorgeous little story about grief and how easy it is to misjudge people if we don't get to know them properly. Full of wonder, empathy and stunningly illustrated, this is the perfect book for newly independent readers.

Brief, beautiful and brilliant.

This book is beautiful; beautiful illustrations match beautiful words and phrases. I am definitely adding this to my school library as soon as I can. I loved the connection Miles forms with Pippin the budgie he finds in the gardens of his estate. Last year, I had a budgie fly into my balcony window and it lived in my bathroom for a couple of days while I tried to find its owner and it made me so happy (if I didn't have cats, I would have totally kept it). I also loved how supportive Miles' family was when he was feeling sad. They allowed him to experience the feelings and accepted that they couldn't fix things, but they still showed him that they cared through their actions. The book also shows that you shouldn't judge people when you don't really know them and that sometimes, what comes across as grumpiness can also be a way of showing that you care about people (but that you're just scared for them).

This is a gentle story of love and understanding , life and death and friendship. Miles likes to climb trees with his friend Chris but they are often told off by their neighbour Mr Buxton. The discovery of an injured budgie brings the beauty of the bird and nature into Miles’ life and home …but events take an unexpected turn and Miles finds that he has a stronger connection with Mr Buxton than he realised and appearances can be deceiving.This may seem a very simple tale but it is beautifully told and brings important messages to young readers and audiences. David Barrow’s illustrations add colour and depth to the book. This is a wonderful book to use with KS1 children or with families exploring themes that may often be considered too sensitive to the young but within this book they are dealt with such sensitivity and warmth that you cannot fail to be moved . Highly recommended and a book that I will use with colleagues in school