Stonebird

Description

When 10-year-old Liam's family moves to be near his grandmother who is suffering from dementia, he's left to navigate his new neighborhood, school and grandmother's illness all by himself; His mom regularly looses herself in a bottle of wine, and his sister sneaks out to who knows where shortly after "wine o'clock"-as they've come to call it-strikes. Life it isn't easy.
The one place he seems to find solace is a rundown church where he finds an over-sized gargoyle that keeps drawing him in. After learning that they were created to protect people from demons and evil spirits, he can't seem to shake the image of the old stone bird and its presence weaves itself into the stories Liam tells himself and others, so much so that Liam starts to believe that it might be alive.
Shy Liam's only means of confidence during shared story time is to tell tales of the gargoyle. His classmate mock him at first but are soon are captivated by his storytelling, and his teacher's slight nods of encouragement fuel Liam's belief in the bird and lead him to think that she knows a thing or two about the old bird herself.
As his home life gets harder and the bullies more relentless the gargoyle seemingly brings Liam's stories to life-swooping in to protect and defend him in the most unexpected ways. But is the old stone bird really alive, or is it just Liam's imagination finding ways to help him through a difficult time?

Reviews

I loved this and read it in one sitting ... It's a really special debut, full of heart, hope and the power of storytelling Bookseller A heartbreakingly good debut. Fresh and beautifully written, this is something very special Robin Stevens, author of Murder Most Unladylike It is a beautiful, delicate story about a boy who is just trying to do the right thing for everyone, and it will provoke much thought and discussion. -- Sue The Bookbag This book is a perfect introduction to reading for a primary audience, especially for young boys who will be able to identify with Liam and learn both from him and with him. -- Anna James We Love This Book This novel is nothing short of magical and had me in tears - several times. -- Catherines Johnson Wordpress This is a very important novel for young people to read -- Jodie Brooks School Zone

Author description

Mike Revell has always wanted to write for children. He studied Creative Writing at the University of Essex, followed by a postgraduate journalism course at Harlow College. Mike also has a passion for American Football, and when not writing fiction, he reports on the NFL for the Mirror newspaper. He lives near Cambridge with his girlfriend and their new puppy, Toffee. Stonebird is his debut novel.