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