Tweet by Morris Gleitzman

Tweet, by highly talented author Morris Gleitzman, is a heartfelt tale of connection and conservation.

Eleven year old, Jay, finds himself facing the biggest challenge of his young life. His parents are world renowned bird scientists but are currently unreachable in Africa, and he has been left him in the care of his ailing Poppa. They have been searching for answers about his parent’s whereabouts but have got nowhere in this quest; and time is of the essence.

Jay’s life is thrown into further turmoil and he struggles to comprehend what to make of everything that is going on. Losing his Poppa, Jay has always found comfort in his cherished companion, Clyde; a budgie with a remarkable intellect. Clyde is not your average household budgie. He has worked hard to learn to communicate with humans…. and he can even place jigsaw pieces correctly!

So, when Clyde and Jay are torn apart, they are both devastated and lost. Clyde meets Dora, a galah that is half wild and half pet, and he is terrified of her. But she is actually hoping he can help her on her mission. The wild birds around the world are extremely upset, and their behaviour is causing a great deal of unrest and hostility amongst the humans. Dora is desperate to try to rectify this situation and is hoping Clyde may be the missing link to support her.

Alone and lonely, Jay needs to work out what is going on with all the wild birds too, while also trying to find his parents and hopefully locate Clyde along the way. Can their connections draw them back together, and help all the wildlife of the world, or will the task be way out of their control?

Gleitzman masterfully weaves together themes of friendship, loss, unique bonds between humans and animals and consequential actions. Each chapter alternates between the perspective of Jay and Clyde, allowing readers to understand their viewpoint and share insight into both sides of the story.  A wild and thought provoking tale that resonates long after the final page is turned.

Themes: Conservation, Wildlife, Birds, Communication, Connections, Friendship, Problem solving, Persistence, Caring, Environment.

Michelle O'Connell