LoveReading Says
In a Nutshell: It takes courage for the show to go on
Highs, lows, love and laughter - this big-hearted circus-set debut has it all. Siblings Finch and Birdie Franconi are high-flying trapeze artists in their family circus school. They’re fearless in flight, and also in fashion. Their no-nonsense attitude and endlessly inventive ensembles of bright blazers, tutus, paisley print, polka print and outlandish accessories certainly make them stand-out at school, and also attracts the attention of brainy new boy Hector. Reluctant at first, Finch agrees to teach seemingly hapless Hector circus skills, but when Birdie has an accident on the trapeze, his world begins to unravel. Finch feels fear for the first time, and it falls to Hector to show him that the show must go on.
Alongside the tension and turmoil around Birdie’s condition, and the radiant razzle-dazzle of the circus, there’s a magnificent (if rocky-roaded) romance, and many words of wisdom come courtesy of Birdie’s blog posts: “You can’t control everything. That’s where courage comes in; sometimes you have to just go for it”.
Complex questions are put under the spotlight as the main characters try to navigate their way in the world, wondering who they are, who they should be, how they fit in, and these big issues are all explored with clarity, humour and a whole of lot of heart beneath Franconi’s exhilarating Big Top.
Joanne Owen
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Flying Tips for Flightless Birds Synopsis
Witty and clever. This novel really does sparkle. Roddy DoyleFrom debut author Kelly McCaughrain comes a sweet and kooky romcom for fans of R. J. Palacio's Wonder, Sarah Crossan, and Susin Nielsen's We Are All Made of Molecules.
Twins Finch and Birdie Franconi are stars of the flying trapeze. But when Birdie suffers a terrifying accident, Finch must team up with the geeky new kid, Hector Hazzard, to form an all-boys double act and save the family circus school. Together they learn to walk the high-wire of teen life and juggle the demands of friends, family, first love and facing up to who they are - all served up with a dash of circus-showbiz magic.
About This Edition
ISBN: |
9781406375657 |
Publication date: |
1st March 2018 |
Author: |
Kelly McCaughrain |
Publisher: |
Walker Books Ltd |
Format: |
Paperback |
Pagination: |
380 pages |
Primary Genre |
Young Adult Fiction
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Recommendations: |
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Kelly McCaughrain Press Reviews
Flying tips for Flightless Birds is a quirky and complex story, told with an elegant simplicity that hooks you from the first few pages. A gentle but gripping exploration of the highs and lows of being a young person, of love, friends and the relationship we have with ourselves and others. * The Book Bag *
About Kelly McCaughrain
Kelly McCaughrain lives in Belfast, where she works with disabled students in further education, and has just completed a degree in English and Creative Writing at Queens University. She was shortlisted for the 2013 Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Prize. When she isn't writing she also works in a charity bookshop and takes long holidays in her 1967 classic campervan, Gerda. Flying Tips for Flightless Birds is her first novel.
More About Kelly McCaughrain