Budgie - Joseph Coelho - ★★★★.½

AUTHOR: Joseph Coelho

GENRE: Children's Fiction.

RATING: 4.5 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.

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.