Where the songbird sings by Michelle Blackbird

Written with a poetic touch, this short novelette tells the story of a blackbird and his family and their encounter with a cuckoo. The blackbird is known for his appealing call; the cuckoo known for her heartless abuse. In this short story the wind is also given a voice and an all-seeing perspective, looking out over the blackbird’s family (with its interloper offspring). With a little bit of heartache and the tenderness of family connection, this is a simple tale set within an English woodland that is home for many innocent creatures (excepting the cuckoo and the fox). 

The poetic style for this story creates an almost lyrical feeling and the author who writes as a Blackbird (a pen name), gives a gentle telling of the natural world. More a fantasy tale than an environmental revelation, the story has a gentle quality with a hint of the compassion and tenderness of the Blackbird family - an example of literary personification.  For those who enjoy short stories and also love poetic play or portraiture with language, this is a quick and enjoyable reading journey. Suitable for 10–14 year-olds looking at the short story genre or for others who just love language used well.  It is published in pocket sized format, so could easily fly as a gift with the benefit of the postal service.

Themes: Birds - Blackbirds and Cuckoos, England, Family, Short stories.

Carolyn Hull