Growing up is a minefield of difficult challenges to navigate and overcome. Probably one of the most difficult of these challenges children can be faced with is bullying. Bullying can take many forms and doesn’t just happen in the playground or classroom, it can happen anywhere – even in the safety of your own home especially online in today’s digital age. Bullies and bullying thrive on perceived weaknesses, their physical strength or popularity, fear and silence, with the aim of embarrassing or causing harm, often leaving victims feeling that they are powerless. But we are all reminded through the power of storytelling that even the smallest voice can confront bullies and stand up to them. Which brings us to children’s literature; children’s books are excellent tools for helping play a vital role in the teaching significant lessons of resilience, empathy and the importance of speaking out against bullies. Julia Blackburn’s The Songbird Army embraces this theme beautifully. It is a wonderful tale small garden songbirds coming together, standing tall against bullying and intimidation, showing children that bravery doesn’t always mean being the biggest, strongest or even the most powerful – it means refusing to let bullies win and standing your ground.
The Songbird Army is a heartwarming adventure for middle-grade readers about standing up for yourself, your friends and your community, while showing young readers the power of courage, friendship and standing up to bullies.
Welcome to Riverside Garden and its surrounding gardens where a small community of songbirds call home. At the heart of the story is Rube the robin, a gentle little bird who would rather sing than lead, although he is the leader of the Songbird Choir. His peaceful life is disrupted when a gang of bullying magpies threatens the nests of his garden friends, wanting an egg from each nest. Rube and his friends are not going to give up their eggs that easily and he is forced to find courage he never knew he had, stepping into the role of protector despite his doubts. This collection of small peaceful birds need to stand up to the bullying magpies.
Overall, I thought that The Songbird Army was an absolutely wonderful story of adventure, community and struggle – and even a protection racket thrown in. It superbly uses garden birds to talk about the very real topic of bullying. While the songbirds are under threat from a gang of bigger birds, this central conflict mirrors the real-world struggles children face when confronted by bullies: the fear of standing up, the temptation to stay silent and the eventual realisation that action is necessary to protect yourself and others. A delightful story, violent in places, but a fantastic read that once I started, I just couldn’t put down.
The story is excellent and very well put together. The central theme of bullying is extremely well-written and handled in an empathetic and accessible way for young readers to grasp, understand and take meaning from. And the cast of memorable garden birds is fantastic; from Rube the robin, a gentle soul to his band of feathered friends including Hula, a blind bullfinch who demonstrates that disability does not diminish bravery. Phil the song thrush who embodies steadfast loyalty, while Parus the scatterbrained blue tit adds humour and lightness to the group’s journey. And I can’t forget the loud peacocks, Fruggie the brave but damaged crow, the magpie army, and then there is Bird Boy and Gunman (his dad). As a collective (some which may surprise you), these characters form the “Songbird Army,” a choir of voices that prove unity can overcome intimidation. Their camaraderie highlights the importance of friendship and collective strength, it teaches young readers that speaking out and standing up to bullies is a must but something that is often easier when you have allies by your side.
While it is a very engaging tale set in garden locations and is covering a very important subject, it expertly weaves in natural history seamlessly into the action, enriching the story with details about bird behaviour and habitats (achieved with small notes Bird Boy’s notebook) without ever slowing the narrative.
The story travels along a quite a fast pace and its 164-page length is perfect for lower middle-grade readers, being long enough to feel substantial but not overwhelming.
The story has a central theme of bullying, and the battles against the magpies are thrilling (and might be a little violent for some readers), but it superbly balances the tension with humour and tenderness. It even touches on death and grief. The message is clear: bullies may be loud and intimidating, but kindness, courage and unity can drown out their noise.
The Songbird Army surprised me and was so much better than I imagined. It is a magical, nature-inspired adventure that will resonate with young page turners. A fantastic heartwarming story about finding your voice and standing up to bullies. I think that this would make a delightful and empowering addition to any child’s library, one that would be perfect for sparking discussions about courage, friendship and the importance of speaking out against bullies.
I really enjoyed this story, it has a superb message and is so easy to read.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £6.99 (Paperback) / £1.99 (Kindle)
For more information, visit www.juliablackburn.co.uk. Available to buy from Amazon here.
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