Birdsong

Following a traumatic accident, a special friendship helps talented musician Annie heal and rediscover her love of music in this stunning novella from celebrated author Katya Balen.

The blackbirds’ song uplifts and restores in this captivating novella from one of the most exciting voices in children’s fiction.

After a devastating car crash, Annie is unable to play her flute and retreats from the music she’s always loved.

She exists in a world of angry silence – furious with her mum and furious she can’t seem to play her beloved flute any more.

Then she meets Noah, who shows her the blackbirds’ nest hidden in the scrubland near their flats. As their friendship grows, the blackbirds’ glorious song reignites Annie’s passion for music. But when tragedy strikes again, will her fragile progress be put at risk?

Reviews

"Word perfect. Note perfect" – Phil Earle

"Made me cry … Beautiful" – Jackie Morris

"In the same way a great piece of music or an especially stirring sequence in film can overwhelm you, Birdsong fills you to the brim and threatens to spill over … Utterly singular and a triumph" – Just Imagine

"A perfectly structured novella" – Waterstones

"This is a book to dwell in, letting the story wash over you and settle your soul … Katya Balen and Barrington Stoke is a wonderful combination" – Kate Heap, Scope for the Imagination

About the author

Katya Balen is a rising star in children’s publishing in the UK. Her first book, The Space We’re In, was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award, while October, October, described by The Times as “a future wild classic”, won the 2022 Carnegie Medal.