Flyaway

by Lesley Barnes (Illustrator)

A young princess has a bird which she keeps trapped in a cage. One day, the bird escapes and she chases it round the castle and out into the garden. She manages to catch it but, realising that the bird wants to be free, she lets him go, and is rewarded when he comes back to visit her. This touching story about freedom is stylishly rendered in Lesley Barnes' gorgeous, contemporary artwork and has a unique twist: lift-flaps throughout enable the reader to 'free' the bird themselves. Also has 10 things to count on every spread.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals

18 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Lesley Barnes is an award winning illustrator and animator based in Glasgow. Her distinctive, bright and joyful work spans the worlds of fashion, music, children’s literature, film and product design. Lesley has created exclusive product ranges for both the V&A and the Tate Museums in London. Other clients include Scottish band Belle & Sebastian, Clinique, Glamour Magazine, The Sunday Times Style, Random House, The Folio Society, Puffin Books, and children’s magazines Anorak and OKIDO. She is the author and illustrator of three children's books.

Reviews

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is technically a concept book (flap book), but it is truly a gorgeous piece of art. Anybody in the field of children's literature, illustration or a parent/caregiver needs this book. It is stunning and ultimately captivating. There is no way a child is going to turn away from Flyaway. Just spectacular.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a luxurious counting book with lift the flap sections. My daughter loved it that the bird wanted to be free but sent all her bird friends back to sing in the garden.
All the double pages count to ten and there is something different to find on the pages too.

[Earl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fantastically illustrated story about letting your loved one be free. A chase through the castle and the grounds between a princess and her pet bird will have readers lifting flaps, repeating the refrain, and searching for the hidden items on each spread.

[Christina Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

You could read this in minutes or spend hours exploring the sumptuous details hidden on every page. At its heart this is a simple story about a litle girl who realises that her pet bird isn't happy in a cage. Beyond that, there are search-and-find challenges hidden on every page, plus lots of humorous details which could spark creating stories of your own about the other inhabitants of the castle. Glorious book, a work of art!

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interactive story with beautiful illustrations!

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book! The story is very simple, but the illustrations are absolutely delicious.

[StephanieNicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated with interactions to lift flaps and hunt/count objects

[Heydi Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stunning mission to catch a beloved bird, only to set it free so it can be happy.

The illustrations are incredible and I love that they feature both lift-the-flap and look-and-find features.

While I'm sure this would work for a story time, I think based on the size of the book and its features (noted above), this book would be best enjoyed one-on-one.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Lesley Barnes' illustrations - I would frame them on my wall. I like the story more in Jill & Dragon, but this is still a beautiful book and the counting on each page gives the readers additional time to appreciate the details of each scene.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork is gorgeous- very mid-century sort of style, with gold accents.

[Shannon Nicole Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming work of art with a sweet and timeless message. <3