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Birdie: A powerful, moving animal and friendship tale for fans of Michael Morpurgo
When Birdie is sent to live with her great-aunt in 1950s Yorkshire, she befriends the village's last remaining pit pony. A story of hope and courage, exploring themes of family, racism and identity.
‘Captivating’ A. F. Steadman
‘A tender and touching story for animal lovers everywhere’ Hannah Gold
Birdie Bagshaw has never known her parents. Having grown up in a children's home for mixed race children in 1950s Leeds, now she has come to live with her great-aunt in the Yorkshire Dales. From her arrival, Birdie is treated like an outsider by the local children. When their bullying drives Birdie to hide in the nearby coal mine, she finds an unexpected rescuer in the form of Mr Duke, the last remaining pit pony in the village. As the weeks pass, Birdie forms a special bond with the spirited little pony. But his future is in danger, and Birdie comes up with a daring plan to save his life in return . . .
Cover art by Keith Robinson
‘Captivating’ A. F. Steadman
‘A tender and touching story for animal lovers everywhere’ Hannah Gold
Birdie Bagshaw has never known her parents. Having grown up in a children's home for mixed race children in 1950s Leeds, now she has come to live with her great-aunt in the Yorkshire Dales. From her arrival, Birdie is treated like an outsider by the local children. When their bullying drives Birdie to hide in the nearby coal mine, she finds an unexpected rescuer in the form of Mr Duke, the last remaining pit pony in the village. As the weeks pass, Birdie forms a special bond with the spirited little pony. But his future is in danger, and Birdie comes up with a daring plan to save his life in return . . .
Cover art by Keith Robinson
256 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
October 27, 2024
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Kaleidoscopic book tours.
Birdie is one of the most moving and powerful stories I have ever read. As soon as I saw this cover, I knew I had to read this book - it just spoke to me. Set in the 1950s, we follow a young girl called Birdie who lives in a children's home for what was referred to as for 'brown babies' back in that time period. When Birdies great aunt writes to her to offer her a home in the Yorkshire Dales, Birdie immediately says yes but then gets nervous about leaving the only home she's ever known. Birdie arrives at her aunts to a strange welcome that leaves Birdie confused and unsure. Not many of the locals are friendly towards her, and she struggles to understand why. As Birdie navigates the racist treatment of those around her, she comes across an old pit pony she names Mr Duke, and the pair find a connection, love, and companionship within each other.
I loved how the author handled aspects in this book compassionately and inspirationally and in a way that is perfect for young readers to read and understand. I could see aspects of myself in Birdie from my own youth and can only imagine how hard it must have been for children of colour back then. This is an important story that is perfect for a classroom story, discussion point, and literacy work.
The book had me absolutely sobbing at the end, and I had to keep stopping as I couldn't see through my tears. This book is nestled deep in my heart and will always have a space there.
Birdie is one of the most moving and powerful stories I have ever read. As soon as I saw this cover, I knew I had to read this book - it just spoke to me. Set in the 1950s, we follow a young girl called Birdie who lives in a children's home for what was referred to as for 'brown babies' back in that time period. When Birdies great aunt writes to her to offer her a home in the Yorkshire Dales, Birdie immediately says yes but then gets nervous about leaving the only home she's ever known. Birdie arrives at her aunts to a strange welcome that leaves Birdie confused and unsure. Not many of the locals are friendly towards her, and she struggles to understand why. As Birdie navigates the racist treatment of those around her, she comes across an old pit pony she names Mr Duke, and the pair find a connection, love, and companionship within each other.
I loved how the author handled aspects in this book compassionately and inspirationally and in a way that is perfect for young readers to read and understand. I could see aspects of myself in Birdie from my own youth and can only imagine how hard it must have been for children of colour back then. This is an important story that is perfect for a classroom story, discussion point, and literacy work.
The book had me absolutely sobbing at the end, and I had to keep stopping as I couldn't see through my tears. This book is nestled deep in my heart and will always have a space there.
October 16, 2024
Birdie is now up on the bookcase nestled in between Kes and Goodnight Mr Tom. I never thought I'd find a book that would be parallel to them, one that would have such an emotional impact on me and stay with me long after I'd finished turning the last page.
Birdie is a bright and bubbly young girl, she loves animals, birds and insects. She forms a wonderful bond with an abandoned pit pony she calls Mr Duke. What she doesn't understand is why she's treated so differently just because her skins a different colour.
The author's research into the time period is evident and the story has been written in layman's terms so is easy for your YA to understand the impact of racism and politics.
I finished the book smiling through the tears. It's enjoyable, emotional and I would so love to see a film version being made.
Birdie is a bright and bubbly young girl, she loves animals, birds and insects. She forms a wonderful bond with an abandoned pit pony she calls Mr Duke. What she doesn't understand is why she's treated so differently just because her skins a different colour.
The author's research into the time period is evident and the story has been written in layman's terms so is easy for your YA to understand the impact of racism and politics.
I finished the book smiling through the tears. It's enjoyable, emotional and I would so love to see a film version being made.
Read
April 7, 2026Read as I’m shadowing Carnegie Medal for children’s writing. A super sweet and wholesome book, but I think I would have enjoyed more if I had a deeper connection to my inner horse girl.
August 8, 2024
Set in the 1950s, BIRDIE follows the protagonist of the same name, a ten-year-old girl living in a children’s home in Leeds - until her great-aunt and uncle invite her to come and live with them in their little village in the Dales. However, Birdie stands out even before she leaves Leeds: she’s mixed-race, and in the all-white village, only a tiny proportion of people are welcoming - if anyone. However, Birdie finds a kindred spirit in Mr. Duke, the last pit pony in residence in the now-nationalised coal mine, and soon her mission turns into a race against time to save him from the grinding existence of the mine - and from the knackers.
Almost immediately, the premise of BIRDIE might be familiar, though this isn’t something that works to its detriment (the opposite, in fact): it’s strikingly similar to THE SECRET GARDEN, with a young protagonist leaving their previous life to live with previously unknown relatives in Yorkshire who, though initially spiky and unwelcoming, overcome the lingering pain of their pasts with the help of the new figure in their household, who forms a close relationship with nature in the process. However, unlike Mary Lennox - who I’m sure has aggravated generations since publication - Birdie is a delight to read. She’s a driven little chatterbox, full of opinions, and her love of animals - from the pigeons at the children’s home and her ladybirds kept in numerous matchboxes, to the pony Mr Duke - is beautifully woven in. Particularly enjoyable is the consistent use of Yorkshire dialect within the dialogue for the duration of the novel, which gives it a sense of authenticity and such a concrete sense of location that it’s easy to be transported, not to mention a distinct narrative voice which sometimes gets missing in stricter RP-based editing.
Even if Birdie wasn’t such an enjoyable character to read, the depictions of racism within the novel are heartbreaking despite their tailored appropriateness for a children’s novel teaching about anti-racism. The daughter of a white woman and a Black American GI during the Second World War, the children’s home in which Birdie spends the first decade of her life is one of the numerous homes for ‘brown babies’ established following the end of the war, due to stigma placed on mothers for having illegitimate, mixed-race children, and the belief that only white children would be taken in by foster families (in the second season of her brilliant podcast BAD WOMEN, Hallie Rubenhold does an equally brilliant episode on the treatment of these ‘brown babies’, which I really recommend if you’re curious for further information!). Many of the injustices Birdie faces take the form of micro-aggressions (which often breach into very much macro-aggressions), from jabs about her hair and being stared at in the village, to asking her where she’s really from and assuming she must be cheating when she gives correct answers in school. Especially visceral is her great-aunt’s initial refusal to acknowledge her as her relative, made especially poignant due to Birdie’s background within the children’s home, filled with children alike her, and her relationship with the motherly Mrs Dudley, who she repeatedly thinks of when her aunt treats her coldly: in an all-white environment for the first time in her life, Birdie quite literally cannot work out why she’s being singled out until about halfway through the novel. Heartbreaking from two perspectives - the dramatic irony from readers who understand precisely what’s going, and the jarring truth, perhaps for young readers being introduced to the concept for the first time - I was very much reminded of Sam Selvon’s novel THE LONELY LONDONERS and the comments from its ensemble cast: the only difference between racism in 1950s America and 1950s England was that in England, people pretended to be more polite about it.
One of the biggest triumphs of BIRDIE, aside from its ability to pull on the heartstrings (and make me cry), is the seamlessly woven-in historical context throughout: often, it’s unclear where we designate ‘history’ to really begin, so the 1950s isn’t really a distinct time with coverage in historical fiction. Birdie as a newcomer character is an excellent device to make this accessible, however: her perspective conveys new information in a way which is unlikely to overwhelm young readers, and even complex topics, such as the nationalisation of coal mines by the Labour government following the Second World War, is made tangible and understandable through Birdie’s interactions in Barrington Dale. The shadows of the War are still visible in the village, on a macro level through the almost-closed mine, but on a much more personal level through the lost son of Birdie’s aunt and uncle, who quite literally haunts the narrative as a photograph until his identity is revealed (how very SECRET GARDEN). While Birdie’s aunt is a fairly horrid figure at the novel’s inception, this weaving of historical context - grieving a son lost to war without much closure - she’s also a complex one, and one which, to her credit, overcomes her initial feelings and is soon Birdie’s staunch defender; it’s a really deft characterisation by Rose, to present her as both a suffering and grieving woman while similarly a cold figure in an environment where change is not only rare, but unwelcome, and her change of behaviours is very gratifying to read.
If BIRDIE’s first act is evocative of THE SECRET GARDEN, the remainder of the novel is almost an updated BLACK BEAUTY. Stumbling into the coal mine to hide from bullies, Birdie discovers a pony she names Mr Duke; a pit pony used to pull coal about the mine following the outlawing of children working in mines, Birdie is horrified to learn that he is almost destined to spend his entire life underground, and becomes determined to at first ease his laborious existence, before her outright rescue mission to save him from the (sincerely very creepy) knacker. The pit pony welfare outrage to Anna Sewell’s bearing-rein hatred, the theme of both Birdie and Mr Duke as outsiders in such a distinctive time-period is really touching. Current middle-grade is full of children forming unique bonds with animals, but Rose adopts an approach to this which really stands out in the current market. Birdie also makes for a unique take on the horse-girl archetype in middle-grade: she doesn’t obsess over expensive equipment or winning showjumping competitions, but following a life in urban Leeds and isolation in Barrington Dale, is quite simply enamoured with Mr Duke - established through her gift of an encyclopedia about horses, which she reads aloud at regular intervals in a very relatable depiction of a child with Lots to Say.
Twisting familiar tropes and narratives into a new story altogether, BIRDIE is a really sweet middle-grade with lots of heart. It’s a book I can imagine becoming the basis for numerous classroom discussions, not to mention conversations between young readers and relatives who may have lived during the 50s, and may understand some of Birdie’s more obscure historical references: by taking aspects of history which have been so consistently neglected, Rose has established a book which is bound to take up semi-permanent residence on numerous Waterstones tables, and not just in the North.
Almost immediately, the premise of BIRDIE might be familiar, though this isn’t something that works to its detriment (the opposite, in fact): it’s strikingly similar to THE SECRET GARDEN, with a young protagonist leaving their previous life to live with previously unknown relatives in Yorkshire who, though initially spiky and unwelcoming, overcome the lingering pain of their pasts with the help of the new figure in their household, who forms a close relationship with nature in the process. However, unlike Mary Lennox - who I’m sure has aggravated generations since publication - Birdie is a delight to read. She’s a driven little chatterbox, full of opinions, and her love of animals - from the pigeons at the children’s home and her ladybirds kept in numerous matchboxes, to the pony Mr Duke - is beautifully woven in. Particularly enjoyable is the consistent use of Yorkshire dialect within the dialogue for the duration of the novel, which gives it a sense of authenticity and such a concrete sense of location that it’s easy to be transported, not to mention a distinct narrative voice which sometimes gets missing in stricter RP-based editing.
Even if Birdie wasn’t such an enjoyable character to read, the depictions of racism within the novel are heartbreaking despite their tailored appropriateness for a children’s novel teaching about anti-racism. The daughter of a white woman and a Black American GI during the Second World War, the children’s home in which Birdie spends the first decade of her life is one of the numerous homes for ‘brown babies’ established following the end of the war, due to stigma placed on mothers for having illegitimate, mixed-race children, and the belief that only white children would be taken in by foster families (in the second season of her brilliant podcast BAD WOMEN, Hallie Rubenhold does an equally brilliant episode on the treatment of these ‘brown babies’, which I really recommend if you’re curious for further information!). Many of the injustices Birdie faces take the form of micro-aggressions (which often breach into very much macro-aggressions), from jabs about her hair and being stared at in the village, to asking her where she’s really from and assuming she must be cheating when she gives correct answers in school. Especially visceral is her great-aunt’s initial refusal to acknowledge her as her relative, made especially poignant due to Birdie’s background within the children’s home, filled with children alike her, and her relationship with the motherly Mrs Dudley, who she repeatedly thinks of when her aunt treats her coldly: in an all-white environment for the first time in her life, Birdie quite literally cannot work out why she’s being singled out until about halfway through the novel. Heartbreaking from two perspectives - the dramatic irony from readers who understand precisely what’s going, and the jarring truth, perhaps for young readers being introduced to the concept for the first time - I was very much reminded of Sam Selvon’s novel THE LONELY LONDONERS and the comments from its ensemble cast: the only difference between racism in 1950s America and 1950s England was that in England, people pretended to be more polite about it.
One of the biggest triumphs of BIRDIE, aside from its ability to pull on the heartstrings (and make me cry), is the seamlessly woven-in historical context throughout: often, it’s unclear where we designate ‘history’ to really begin, so the 1950s isn’t really a distinct time with coverage in historical fiction. Birdie as a newcomer character is an excellent device to make this accessible, however: her perspective conveys new information in a way which is unlikely to overwhelm young readers, and even complex topics, such as the nationalisation of coal mines by the Labour government following the Second World War, is made tangible and understandable through Birdie’s interactions in Barrington Dale. The shadows of the War are still visible in the village, on a macro level through the almost-closed mine, but on a much more personal level through the lost son of Birdie’s aunt and uncle, who quite literally haunts the narrative as a photograph until his identity is revealed (how very SECRET GARDEN). While Birdie’s aunt is a fairly horrid figure at the novel’s inception, this weaving of historical context - grieving a son lost to war without much closure - she’s also a complex one, and one which, to her credit, overcomes her initial feelings and is soon Birdie’s staunch defender; it’s a really deft characterisation by Rose, to present her as both a suffering and grieving woman while similarly a cold figure in an environment where change is not only rare, but unwelcome, and her change of behaviours is very gratifying to read.
If BIRDIE’s first act is evocative of THE SECRET GARDEN, the remainder of the novel is almost an updated BLACK BEAUTY. Stumbling into the coal mine to hide from bullies, Birdie discovers a pony she names Mr Duke; a pit pony used to pull coal about the mine following the outlawing of children working in mines, Birdie is horrified to learn that he is almost destined to spend his entire life underground, and becomes determined to at first ease his laborious existence, before her outright rescue mission to save him from the (sincerely very creepy) knacker. The pit pony welfare outrage to Anna Sewell’s bearing-rein hatred, the theme of both Birdie and Mr Duke as outsiders in such a distinctive time-period is really touching. Current middle-grade is full of children forming unique bonds with animals, but Rose adopts an approach to this which really stands out in the current market. Birdie also makes for a unique take on the horse-girl archetype in middle-grade: she doesn’t obsess over expensive equipment or winning showjumping competitions, but following a life in urban Leeds and isolation in Barrington Dale, is quite simply enamoured with Mr Duke - established through her gift of an encyclopedia about horses, which she reads aloud at regular intervals in a very relatable depiction of a child with Lots to Say.
Twisting familiar tropes and narratives into a new story altogether, BIRDIE is a really sweet middle-grade with lots of heart. It’s a book I can imagine becoming the basis for numerous classroom discussions, not to mention conversations between young readers and relatives who may have lived during the 50s, and may understand some of Birdie’s more obscure historical references: by taking aspects of history which have been so consistently neglected, Rose has established a book which is bound to take up semi-permanent residence on numerous Waterstones tables, and not just in the North.
June 2, 2026
What a disappointing end - After building the beautiful relationship between pony and girl- all was ruined when Mr Duke just ‘magically reappeared’ after getting lost in the mine. Wasn’t much point of him going in the mine if he was just gonna come straight back out was there. Especially after he recovered so easily from that colic!All that tension for naught!
Like Birdie I also felt an affinity with Mr Duke. I guess he’s a pretty brave pony.
Glad that 10yrolds everywhere are reading about the effects of mine closures and racism. Anti-Thatcherism preveals in kids fiction. Though couldn’t tell u when this book was set so maybe nothing to do with Thatcher, potentially unrelated budget cuts. Nothing on Goodnight Mister Tom but actually quite an easy read. Maybe an embarrassing thing to say about a book for children, but still a compliment regardless.
2.5/5
Should I stop trying to read all the books for this children’s book competition that we already went to the ceremony of a month ago. Four books in and it feels like the answer is yes. I might revert to the classics and give Roald Dahl another crack.
Like Birdie I also felt an affinity with Mr Duke. I guess he’s a pretty brave pony.
Glad that 10yrolds everywhere are reading about the effects of mine closures and racism. Anti-Thatcherism preveals in kids fiction. Though couldn’t tell u when this book was set so maybe nothing to do with Thatcher, potentially unrelated budget cuts. Nothing on Goodnight Mister Tom but actually quite an easy read. Maybe an embarrassing thing to say about a book for children, but still a compliment regardless.
2.5/5
Should I stop trying to read all the books for this children’s book competition that we already went to the ceremony of a month ago. Four books in and it feels like the answer is yes. I might revert to the classics and give Roald Dahl another crack.
April 27, 2026
Fantastic book in overall. It still lacked some emotion and required a bit more depth to attach to the characters. Though I did enjoy the journey (and how they vividly express birdie’s curious and somewhat stubborn character), the ending was a bit rough and felt like an average children’s book ending of: oh no, all good and everyone is friends now. There isn’t any tension unrelieved at the end, it doesn’t make us question back to the end. Everyone basically is her ally. Yet, it’s still a good read and may recommend to a younger audience.
Some context I enjoyed was the introduction of the home for black kids and the slow build up of knowledge and realisation. I honestly disagree with people who say they do not enjoy because it seemed unrealistic on how Birdie doesn’t notice the difference in colour because it is shown in a child’s perspective and she was raised with people of same colour, she would be too young to understand and feel emotionally hurt. It’s like a young seed in a field of roses who doesn’t know it’s growing up to be a sunflower rather.
Conversely, I didn’t enjoy the lack of emotional attachment to the characters nor the convenience of having someone helping her at any moment. Sometimes it would be better if she was helped by the pony or faints and wakes randomly, that way it would feel less realistic that there is a farm house going to save them.
Yet again, the themes weren’t represented directly like to kill a mocking bird, but rather, slowly and through a series of dangerous looks and confusion, which builds in her mind something is wrong about her, though she doesn’t understand why, perfectly representing how children who experience racism feel.
Though this book is in the Carnegie medal ( and sure is interesting ) it’s not one of my top picks. It feels less like a book which portrays how children who experience discrimination or prejudice at the end. Not all of them have a happy, conclusive ending. Some continue being bullied and (unlike the priest) the other people may not help them in struggle, even if they’re religious figures.
Overall, great (almost five stars for the first 3/4 of the book) book and definitely recommend to anyone who feel agitated or feels bullied, this will help through realism, yet it is unrealistic, and to kill a mocking bird would be better, it is still amazing for people who are evil (like the bullies) or people like birdie to realise everyone is the same and they can be loved.
P.S: just realised this was a real experience for the author and reflected her life experience, making it more emotional and relatable.
Some context I enjoyed was the introduction of the home for black kids and the slow build up of knowledge and realisation. I honestly disagree with people who say they do not enjoy because it seemed unrealistic on how Birdie doesn’t notice the difference in colour because it is shown in a child’s perspective and she was raised with people of same colour, she would be too young to understand and feel emotionally hurt. It’s like a young seed in a field of roses who doesn’t know it’s growing up to be a sunflower rather.
Conversely, I didn’t enjoy the lack of emotional attachment to the characters nor the convenience of having someone helping her at any moment. Sometimes it would be better if she was helped by the pony or faints and wakes randomly, that way it would feel less realistic that there is a farm house going to save them.
Yet again, the themes weren’t represented directly like to kill a mocking bird, but rather, slowly and through a series of dangerous looks and confusion, which builds in her mind something is wrong about her, though she doesn’t understand why, perfectly representing how children who experience racism feel.
Though this book is in the Carnegie medal ( and sure is interesting ) it’s not one of my top picks. It feels less like a book which portrays how children who experience discrimination or prejudice at the end. Not all of them have a happy, conclusive ending. Some continue being bullied and (unlike the priest) the other people may not help them in struggle, even if they’re religious figures.
Overall, great (almost five stars for the first 3/4 of the book) book and definitely recommend to anyone who feel agitated or feels bullied, this will help through realism, yet it is unrealistic, and to kill a mocking bird would be better, it is still amazing for people who are evil (like the bullies) or people like birdie to realise everyone is the same and they can be loved.
P.S: just realised this was a real experience for the author and reflected her life experience, making it more emotional and relatable.
February 9, 2025
Set in the 1950s Yorkshire Birdie comes
To live with her aunt and uncle after years in a children’s home being a child of mixed race she faces ignorance and racism feeling isolated she befriends a pit pony tissues required ……..60 minutes later and I’m still crying 😢
To live with her aunt and uncle after years in a children’s home being a child of mixed race she faces ignorance and racism feeling isolated she befriends a pit pony tissues required ……..60 minutes later and I’m still crying 😢
March 19, 2026
DNF
I didn't get past ch9. I just got fed up with the fact that Birdie had NO IDEA why she was different. How! And why would no-one tell her. the microagressions were so strong that it was not hard to see! It's a no, I wouldn't recommend to any child in my class. Other teachers I've spoken to agreed with me!
I didn't get past ch9. I just got fed up with the fact that Birdie had NO IDEA why she was different. How! And why would no-one tell her. the microagressions were so strong that it was not hard to see! It's a no, I wouldn't recommend to any child in my class. Other teachers I've spoken to agreed with me!
October 16, 2024
Absolutely wonderful. This deserves to be a classic. I really urge primary school teachers to make this a class read.
Further review to come.
Further review to come.
April 11, 2026
Birdie by J P Rose is an inspiring historical children’s novel that I absolutely adored. It is suitable for ten years and over.
The novel is set in 1952 in a small Yorkshire mining village. The setting comes to life under the author’s descriptive pen. We can ‘see’ the hills and dales, the dry-stone walls and cottages, and we can ‘feel’ the heat and oppression of the mine.
The leading character is a young orphan called Birdie who has been in a children’s home all her life until aged eleven, Birdie’s great aunt decides to offer her a home. Birdie is a plucky young girl who doesn’t let life get her down. She does not realise she is viewed as ‘different’ until she goes to live with her aunt.
Birdie’s father was an American G.I. and her foster home was with other children with American G.I. fathers. On arriving in the mining village, Birdie receives discrimination because of her looks, even from her aunt, who did not know Birdie’s father. “She’d [Birdie} thought that having a family of her own would make her feel like she’d swallowed a ball of sunshine… she had a great big lead ball sitting in the base of her tummy.”
Birdie’s beautiful personality shines through. She makes her Great Uncle smile again [after he had lost his son in World War I]. This prompts her Great Aunt to say: “You’re a tonic, Birdie… like a breath of fresh air.” Birdie is “A medicine for sad hearts and souls.”
When running from the bullies, Birdie stumbles into the mine and befriends an old pit pony. Their bond is beautiful to witness. She saves him; and he, in turn, saves her.
This is a book that teaches children about prejudice and ignorance. About when others judge the colour of a person’s skin, and not the content of their character. The reader’s heart breaks for Birdie, who is kindness personified. She has a loyalty, kindness and a joyful spirit which endears her to the reader. Her bond with the pit pony, Mr Duke, is beautiful.
Birdie is a powerful read that every child should read, to show the evils of prejudice and ignorance.
I will leave you with my favourite quote:
“Friends should make you feel like a ray of sunshine: make you feel warm and brightening up your day.”
The novel is set in 1952 in a small Yorkshire mining village. The setting comes to life under the author’s descriptive pen. We can ‘see’ the hills and dales, the dry-stone walls and cottages, and we can ‘feel’ the heat and oppression of the mine.
The leading character is a young orphan called Birdie who has been in a children’s home all her life until aged eleven, Birdie’s great aunt decides to offer her a home. Birdie is a plucky young girl who doesn’t let life get her down. She does not realise she is viewed as ‘different’ until she goes to live with her aunt.
Birdie’s father was an American G.I. and her foster home was with other children with American G.I. fathers. On arriving in the mining village, Birdie receives discrimination because of her looks, even from her aunt, who did not know Birdie’s father. “She’d [Birdie} thought that having a family of her own would make her feel like she’d swallowed a ball of sunshine… she had a great big lead ball sitting in the base of her tummy.”
Birdie’s beautiful personality shines through. She makes her Great Uncle smile again [after he had lost his son in World War I]. This prompts her Great Aunt to say: “You’re a tonic, Birdie… like a breath of fresh air.” Birdie is “A medicine for sad hearts and souls.”
When running from the bullies, Birdie stumbles into the mine and befriends an old pit pony. Their bond is beautiful to witness. She saves him; and he, in turn, saves her.
This is a book that teaches children about prejudice and ignorance. About when others judge the colour of a person’s skin, and not the content of their character. The reader’s heart breaks for Birdie, who is kindness personified. She has a loyalty, kindness and a joyful spirit which endears her to the reader. Her bond with the pit pony, Mr Duke, is beautiful.
Birdie is a powerful read that every child should read, to show the evils of prejudice and ignorance.
I will leave you with my favourite quote:
“Friends should make you feel like a ray of sunshine: make you feel warm and brightening up your day.”
October 19, 2024
It’s a commonly held opinion that the best children’s books are just as good for an adult reader as for a child, and this book proves it. It’s accessible and appropriate for a child, but is written with more care and depth than many adult novels.
In many ways, it was a very nostalgic read for me. I was instantly transported back to my childhood bedroom, devouring Michael Morpurgo and Philip Pullman. I vividly remember sobbing my eyes out at Morpurgo’s Out of the Ashes, and confessing to my parents that I’d stayed up past my bedtime to read it because I was crying so hard. All those emotions were just as present here, so tantalisingly close to the surface, with a rawness that is only possible in children’s fiction.
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I loved how the author, J. P. Rose, trusted the reader. Birdie’s race (while obvious from the cover) is not explicitly raised to start with, while Birdie tries to piece together why her new family and neighbours treat her so differently than she is used to. Rose trusts that the reader will realise before Birdie does, and I think that’s such a powerful thing in a children’s book.
There are so many themes touched upon in this book, all handled with such care. The historical context is also brilliantly realised, with just enough explanation to give us understanding, but enough left shown rather than said. There’s an excellent historical note at the end (and we all know I’m a sucker for a good historical note!) which provides additional context for anything we might have either missed, or just want to know more about.
This is a book that invites you in. It invites you into Birdie’s world, but it also invites you to be curious and compassionate. I really hope that this becomes an instant classic, and that we get more children’s books from J. P. Rose in the future.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
In many ways, it was a very nostalgic read for me. I was instantly transported back to my childhood bedroom, devouring Michael Morpurgo and Philip Pullman. I vividly remember sobbing my eyes out at Morpurgo’s Out of the Ashes, and confessing to my parents that I’d stayed up past my bedtime to read it because I was crying so hard. All those emotions were just as present here, so tantalisingly close to the surface, with a rawness that is only possible in children’s fiction.
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I loved how the author, J. P. Rose, trusted the reader. Birdie’s race (while obvious from the cover) is not explicitly raised to start with, while Birdie tries to piece together why her new family and neighbours treat her so differently than she is used to. Rose trusts that the reader will realise before Birdie does, and I think that’s such a powerful thing in a children’s book.
There are so many themes touched upon in this book, all handled with such care. The historical context is also brilliantly realised, with just enough explanation to give us understanding, but enough left shown rather than said. There’s an excellent historical note at the end (and we all know I’m a sucker for a good historical note!) which provides additional context for anything we might have either missed, or just want to know more about.
This is a book that invites you in. It invites you into Birdie’s world, but it also invites you to be curious and compassionate. I really hope that this becomes an instant classic, and that we get more children’s books from J. P. Rose in the future.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
April 20, 2026
Period setting for a moving animal and family story.
I really liked this. An animal story reminiscent of Morpurgo and other famous writers of the genre, but with the period feel as well as a social history aspect regarding skin colour.
You feel for Birdie, though readers not familiar with the historical significance of skin colour would do best reading the author's notes first. Birdie is mixed race, the product of a British mother and American GI father in WWII having a relationship, but in the 1950s, Birdie has only ever known a happy group foster home with children who look just like her.
It's only when her remaining family send for her, her great aunt and uncle in a small Yorkshire village, that she realises what looks and comments she's noticed over the years meant. She's different, she's deemed lesser. And in a white village, she stands out.
Facing problems at her new school and even in her new home, Birdie finds herself running away from bullies and accidentally down a now almost closed-off coal mine, where an old working pit pony is still labouring away, far from the light above. Finding herself a friend in the animal she names Mr Duke, Birdie vows to get him out of his underground world.
This was so sad at times, both Birdie's own situation and that of Mr Duke so poignant. And knowing both situations were real, that the author has experience herself, made this all the more readable. I think young people will be surprised and saddened at such recent history, injustice and difference in society that they likely to not know much about.
I enjoyed the character growth in lots of people around Birdie, even if it felt a little trite/easy at times, it made what could have been very sad indeed a little lighter. Birdie herself shows grit and moral fibre through the story and is a worthy heroine.
Chose this read as it's been shortlisted for the Carnegie and was definitely deserving of its place in that group.
For ages 9-13.
I really liked this. An animal story reminiscent of Morpurgo and other famous writers of the genre, but with the period feel as well as a social history aspect regarding skin colour.
You feel for Birdie, though readers not familiar with the historical significance of skin colour would do best reading the author's notes first. Birdie is mixed race, the product of a British mother and American GI father in WWII having a relationship, but in the 1950s, Birdie has only ever known a happy group foster home with children who look just like her.
It's only when her remaining family send for her, her great aunt and uncle in a small Yorkshire village, that she realises what looks and comments she's noticed over the years meant. She's different, she's deemed lesser. And in a white village, she stands out.
Facing problems at her new school and even in her new home, Birdie finds herself running away from bullies and accidentally down a now almost closed-off coal mine, where an old working pit pony is still labouring away, far from the light above. Finding herself a friend in the animal she names Mr Duke, Birdie vows to get him out of his underground world.
This was so sad at times, both Birdie's own situation and that of Mr Duke so poignant. And knowing both situations were real, that the author has experience herself, made this all the more readable. I think young people will be surprised and saddened at such recent history, injustice and difference in society that they likely to not know much about.
I enjoyed the character growth in lots of people around Birdie, even if it felt a little trite/easy at times, it made what could have been very sad indeed a little lighter. Birdie herself shows grit and moral fibre through the story and is a worthy heroine.
Chose this read as it's been shortlisted for the Carnegie and was definitely deserving of its place in that group.
For ages 9-13.
October 16, 2024
“Birdie” by Anna Groves is just perfect. And let me tell you, it hit me right in the feels! This book was like a warm hug – so comforting and relatable. Birdie, the main character, is just the sweetest thing. Despite dealing with some heavy stuff like family drama, racism, and figuring out who she is, she stays so pure and innocent.
“Birdie” is set in the 1950s, and poor Birdie gets shipped off to live with her great-aunt in this tiny Yorkshire village called Barrington Dale. And let me tell you, this place is gossip central! Everyone knows everyone's business – it's wild!
When Birdie first arrives, my heart just broke for her. Here's this bubbly, bright-eyed kid, and you've got all these people trying to put her in a box and squash her spirit. Not cool, folks!
But here's where it gets good – on her first day of school, Birdie has a run-in with some bullies (ugh, the worst) and ends up hiding out in an old being dropped into a mine shaft. And guess what? She meets this adorable, spunky little pony she names Mr. Duke. Talk about a silver lining! From there Birdie’s adventure begins.
The author really did her homework on the 1950s, and it shows. But don't worry, it's not like reading a history textbook or anything. She breaks down all the racism and political stuff in a way that's super easy to get, even if you're not a history buff. The book honestly just flows and flows. Such a quick and easy YA/Middle school read.
I'm not gonna lie, I was a mess by the end of this book – smiling and crying at the same time. It's just so good! It'll take you on an emotional journey in the best way possible.
If you're looking for a book that'll make you laugh, cry, and feel all warm and fuzzy inside, “Birdie” is it. Trust me, you won't regret picking this one up!
“Birdie” is set in the 1950s, and poor Birdie gets shipped off to live with her great-aunt in this tiny Yorkshire village called Barrington Dale. And let me tell you, this place is gossip central! Everyone knows everyone's business – it's wild!
When Birdie first arrives, my heart just broke for her. Here's this bubbly, bright-eyed kid, and you've got all these people trying to put her in a box and squash her spirit. Not cool, folks!
But here's where it gets good – on her first day of school, Birdie has a run-in with some bullies (ugh, the worst) and ends up hiding out in an old being dropped into a mine shaft. And guess what? She meets this adorable, spunky little pony she names Mr. Duke. Talk about a silver lining! From there Birdie’s adventure begins.
The author really did her homework on the 1950s, and it shows. But don't worry, it's not like reading a history textbook or anything. She breaks down all the racism and political stuff in a way that's super easy to get, even if you're not a history buff. The book honestly just flows and flows. Such a quick and easy YA/Middle school read.
I'm not gonna lie, I was a mess by the end of this book – smiling and crying at the same time. It's just so good! It'll take you on an emotional journey in the best way possible.
If you're looking for a book that'll make you laugh, cry, and feel all warm and fuzzy inside, “Birdie” is it. Trust me, you won't regret picking this one up!
December 10, 2024
Birdie is a tender and sweet children’s middle-grade story that explores many hard-hitting issues related to identity, bullying, and racism.
The story is set in the UK in the 1950s and features a young girl called Birdie who has lived in a children’s home for mixed-raced youngsters all her life, never knowing her parents. That is until her Great Aunt expresses a desire for Birdie to live with her in the Yorkshire dales.
Birdie doesn’t want to go but plucks up the courage to leave those who have cared for her and her friends in the hope of a more stable life, what she gets is anything but, especially as her aunt didn’t realise until Birdie showed up on her doorstep that she is mixed-race.
From this bad start to the children at her new school mistreating her and to feeling like an outsider, Birdie is alone and scared until she meets a pit pony, and the two become close. However, the pony’s future is in jeopardy and Birdie is determined to save its life.
This is such a beautiful book that teaches children many lessons and also educates them about life in the 1950s. It is breath-taking at times and J.P. Rose is such a tremendous storyteller that you can’t help but be sucked into the plot and held captive. I read the book in just two sittings as I didn’t want to put it down once I’d begun.
Birdie is a glorious character who has so much strength for someone so young. This doesn’t mean she doesn’t get hurt or upset as she does often it is that she has the inner strength to keep on putting one foot in front of the other and to get up every day and face the world over and over again.
The book is an emotional rollercoaster and one that will have a lasting effect on its young audience.
The story is set in the UK in the 1950s and features a young girl called Birdie who has lived in a children’s home for mixed-raced youngsters all her life, never knowing her parents. That is until her Great Aunt expresses a desire for Birdie to live with her in the Yorkshire dales.
Birdie doesn’t want to go but plucks up the courage to leave those who have cared for her and her friends in the hope of a more stable life, what she gets is anything but, especially as her aunt didn’t realise until Birdie showed up on her doorstep that she is mixed-race.
From this bad start to the children at her new school mistreating her and to feeling like an outsider, Birdie is alone and scared until she meets a pit pony, and the two become close. However, the pony’s future is in jeopardy and Birdie is determined to save its life.
This is such a beautiful book that teaches children many lessons and also educates them about life in the 1950s. It is breath-taking at times and J.P. Rose is such a tremendous storyteller that you can’t help but be sucked into the plot and held captive. I read the book in just two sittings as I didn’t want to put it down once I’d begun.
Birdie is a glorious character who has so much strength for someone so young. This doesn’t mean she doesn’t get hurt or upset as she does often it is that she has the inner strength to keep on putting one foot in front of the other and to get up every day and face the world over and over again.
The book is an emotional rollercoaster and one that will have a lasting effect on its young audience.
April 6, 2026
Shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal. This is a powerful novel set in the 1950s when children of African American GIs and British women were called ‘brown babies’ and many were put into children’s homes specifically for them. Birdie is one such child and when a great-aunt contacts the home saying she will take her, Birdie finds herself in the Yorkshire Dales in a village where a coal mine is being wound down. Birdie finds that she is met by locals who are unfriendly, even her aunt is distant in the beginning. At the local school, she comes across bullies who target her because of her colour and so she runs away and finds herself deep in the coal mine, lost and afraid. Her rescuer is an old pit pony - the last one in the mine and a bond is formed. The book covers prejudice but it also focuses on love, companionship and courage. This is a story that reflects both the attitudes of the 1950s and the effect the nationalisation and decommissioning of the coal mines had upon the local communities. This was also a time of loss as many families were grieving for sons, fathers and husbands who never came home from WW2. As for Birdie, you will adore her resilience and her spirit. The bond between her and the pony is touching and emotional. As for Birdie’s great-aunt, she is a complex character who is initially shocked by Birdie’s appearance but changes and grows. An enjoyable novel that is historical and emotional. At the end the author provides extra information about the times - about the children’s homes, the mines and the pit ponies. Ideal for introducing children to this era.
June 4, 2026
I had high hopes coming into this book as my friend really enjoyed it. She talked about how it shows racism in a very good way and that's what I thought was going to be the main plot yet that's just simply not the case. The main plot of this book is a pony, which if I knew would definitely lower my expectations. I am not an animal lover that's true but even if it would be a side plot I would rate this book higher but that was the whole book after page 50. The character was also really smart and a realistic portrait of a tween ... until the horse showed up. From that moment our character lost all her common sense and acted like a 5 year old who saw a shiny toy in the shop. I was very close to giving this book 1 star. The ending was also so tragic. There was no need to bring the horse magically back to life. But there are some positives like Brian. He is the best character of this book and I would have loved to dive deeper into their relationship and how it progressed into a close friendship or maybe even later on a relationship? Or her next door neighbour? We barely saw her and suddenly they're best friends. If I cut out all the pony plot and just keep the racism and friendship plots it would be a 4 star read. Also the language made it hard to read especially as an immigrant who doesn't really know slang, I had to go back and re read multiple lines to get what was happening.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2026
3.5* rounded up to 4.
A engaging read that shines a light on several overlooked areas: post-war life, rural life, a Yorkshire setting, mining and, most importantly, the homes for 'brown babies' and racism that the children who were fathered by black GIs faced in Britain.
Birdie is a really likeable character and brings joy to those she interacts with. I regret to say that I didn't get the same emotional impact from the book that many other reads have. I felt there were a few too many coincidences in the plot and the post-war setting wasn't quite embedded enough. For example, it would have been very modern for Aunt Mabel to be using cooking oil rather than lard or dripping in 1952, especially in a rural Yorkshire village. Things like that took me out of the story and it didn't feel real enough for me to properly connect with the story. But it is likely that the target audience of young readers won't pick up on such discrepancies and will really enjoy this story.
The Historical Note at the end of the book gives background information about the book's events as well as the author's own experience of the care system and growing up in a Yorkshire Dales village as a mixed-race child.
A engaging read that shines a light on several overlooked areas: post-war life, rural life, a Yorkshire setting, mining and, most importantly, the homes for 'brown babies' and racism that the children who were fathered by black GIs faced in Britain.
Birdie is a really likeable character and brings joy to those she interacts with. I regret to say that I didn't get the same emotional impact from the book that many other reads have. I felt there were a few too many coincidences in the plot and the post-war setting wasn't quite embedded enough. For example, it would have been very modern for Aunt Mabel to be using cooking oil rather than lard or dripping in 1952, especially in a rural Yorkshire village. Things like that took me out of the story and it didn't feel real enough for me to properly connect with the story. But it is likely that the target audience of young readers won't pick up on such discrepancies and will really enjoy this story.
The Historical Note at the end of the book gives background information about the book's events as well as the author's own experience of the care system and growing up in a Yorkshire Dales village as a mixed-race child.
April 29, 2026
Birdie Bagshaw has been brought up in Fitzwilliam's Children's Home in Leeds before her great aunt finally gets in touch and invites her to stay in Barrington Dale - a small mining village in Yorkshire. This is the early 1950s and Birdie soon learns that she is 'different' and discovers that she is the daughter of an African American US Serviceman, something that attracts discrimination and reactions she has not faced in the shelter of the children's home.
Birdie seeks solace in the local pit where she meets a pit pony she names Mr Duke. The bond develops between the two as well as the changing bond with her great aunt and great uncle who, it turns out, lost their son in the war. When Birdie learns that Mr Duke is due to be taken by the local knacker as the coal mine is closing she takes off with him. However, on learning that there has been an explosion in the mine and men are trapped they return .. and her actions lead to the wider change of attitude and acceptance from those in the village.
Carnegie shortlist 2026.
Birdie seeks solace in the local pit where she meets a pit pony she names Mr Duke. The bond develops between the two as well as the changing bond with her great aunt and great uncle who, it turns out, lost their son in the war. When Birdie learns that Mr Duke is due to be taken by the local knacker as the coal mine is closing she takes off with him. However, on learning that there has been an explosion in the mine and men are trapped they return .. and her actions lead to the wider change of attitude and acceptance from those in the village.
Carnegie shortlist 2026.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2026
A sweet enough story but flawed. As the granddaughter (and niece and cousin) of a Yorkshire coal miner I found the mishmash of Yorkshire dialect and standard English in the dialogue jarring. Also the book was historically inaccurate when saying that coal miners were ‘called up’ - whilst miners could, and did, volunteer for military service, coal mining was a ‘reserved’ profession, meaning miners were exempted from being conscripted into the armed forces. Thirdly the book needed better editing. The prose was sometimes stilted, there were shifts in tense within sentences (she’d wash her face in the stream, and dusted down her clothes) and other errors (He smiled and pushed his flat cap up with his thumb which he always seemed to wear.) which shouldn’t be in a book aimed at children, who are still learning how to construct sentences and parse the written word.
I did like the subtle way Birdie’s character growth was depicted and the historical notes at the end of the book were interesting; overall I prefer The Nipper by Catherine Cookson, for a story about pit ponies.
Reading Level: 5.1
Word Count: 53,118
I did like the subtle way Birdie’s character growth was depicted and the historical notes at the end of the book were interesting; overall I prefer The Nipper by Catherine Cookson, for a story about pit ponies.
Reading Level: 5.1
Word Count: 53,118
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2025
Such an excellent book. I loved it, and could happily re-read again. Birdie is a happy girl, moving on from her childrens home to live with her (unknown) relatives. The village folk are, at first, unaccepting of her, due to her mix-race and skin colour (good to teach about racism messages) but Birdie cannot understand why. As a secondary school librarian, I would very happily recommend this to students who like animals (pit ponies), history, or stories about families. A modern classic in the making.
February 21, 2025
What a lovely book!. In many ways, it's quite old fashioned but in a good way. Gentle, beautifully written but would appeal to more than animal story lovers. Kindness, acceptance and helping those in need ate key themes explored through Birdies tale.
As a person of a certain age, I did smile at the explanations : never thought I'd see such good descriptions of key background info, like the Coal industry!
Fantastic reading from cover to vover
As a person of a certain age, I did smile at the explanations : never thought I'd see such good descriptions of key background info, like the Coal industry!
Fantastic reading from cover to vover
October 19, 2024
As a high school teacher, I can see this being a book that lasts the ages. One that I’ll teach to pupils for many years to come. Timeless. Heartfelt. Important. A book that follows the story of Birdie Bagshaw. A stoic, funny, resilient young girl who faces many challenges. Loved it. Highly recommend. Does remind me of Micheal Morpurgo ❤️
February 28, 2025
Such a well-told story. Birdie’s character is spirited yet so sweet too. We are sorry that Birdie must face such prejudice and have to struggle to find acceptance, friendship, family, love and a place she can call home, when she is so innocent and good, and undeserving of such adversity. The author addresses these themes brilliantly whilst taking the reader on a compelling narrative journey.
April 1, 2026
This hooked me because there was mention of an orphan and a pit pony in the coal mines and the friendship between them. There’s a bit more to it than that and despite the subtext (orphans, differences, racism, bullying, mining being taken over by the state, explosion) it feels quite gentle in the reading and unpacking.
June 7, 2026
I have been reading the Carnegie shortlist and this did not disappoint me. I was actually reading it out loud to my own child and there were key points where my voice broke and I choked up with raw emotion. The voice of Birdie was amazing - vivid, realistic, humourous and thoughtful and the dialect of Yorkshire came through strongly, helping build a vivid world.
November 18, 2024
My 10 year old horse loving self would have adored this book and connected so well with Birdie ! This was such an emotional and sweet read with 2 brilliantly loveable characters. Perfect for the younger readers!
December 31, 2024
What I particularly loved about this story is that author Jacqui Rose has taken the inspiration from her own past to adapt one the best stories that I have read about being fostered. My favourite lines from chapter 6 page 21 Birdie quickly followed her aunt to the end of the black-and-red quarry-tiled hallway. The door opened with a creak into a small tidy backroom, and Birdie’s gaze took it all in. A chipped stone hearth nursed a coal fire where orange and yellow flames danced without vigour, whilst a chair covered in a brown crocheted blanket sat empty and alone in the corner. Faded newspaper was taped to the tiny windowpanes to keep in the heat, and the grandfather clock ticked slowly and miserably as it stood to attention on the other side of the room. Even though they were in the Dales, and Leeds wasn’t so very far, it felt like a whole ocean away from the children’s home she’d just come from. This story set in Yorkshire is perfect for middle grade readers, and bloggers that love reading stories that will capture your heart. Birdie Bagshaw has been through so much being in a home, and experiencing bullying. It’s amazing how Children often bond with animals, and Birdie has a heart of gold she shows love, and care for a little pony, that I don’t want to give too much away in what Birdie does to help this lovely little pony. This story may tug on your heart, but it absolutely adorable, in many ways. The cover is absolutely beautiful! My special thanks to Walker Books for arranging for this lovely book to be sent to me.
July 8, 2025
Highly recommend this story. Full of Northern grit and emotions. Birdie is a strong character and, despite all the disadvantages, knows her own mind and lives out her beliefs. The portrayal of 1950's Northern village life is fabulous (I particularly liked Rev Hepplethwaite!)
December 10, 2025
Eine spannende und gesellschaftlich wichtige Erzählung. Die Auseinandersetzung mit rassistischen Strukturen in Birdies Welt ist kindpassend dargestellt. Für Kinder ab 8 Jahren gut lesbar, auch zum gemeinsamen Lesen mit Eltern oder Freunden.
January 21, 2026
Pretty innocent 9-12 book which deals with the aftermath of the great war and racism but in a kid friendly way.
The characters weren't particularly striking but were engaging enough to make me finish the book.
The characters weren't particularly striking but were engaging enough to make me finish the book.
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