Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Beautiful book, a great addition to any school and class library. Two amazing authors take you in a pleasant journey to explore the beauty and diversity of the animal kingdom.

A Song of Gladness by Michael Morpurgo is such a beautifully written story. It has a wonderful message behind it. The illustrations are simply stunning, so colourful and playful.

What a beautiful book! I can see this being used as a tool for teaching across the whole of the primary age. Getting a cross strong messages is often best started through the use of picture books and this one is great! The idea that one person (or one blackbird) can start off a message about global issues is so important - everyone can have an impact

This is a very relevant story with beautiful illustrations. I read this with my children aged 6 and 10 years, it prompted lots of discussion on our world, our feelings, the pandemic and how we can help to save our planet. This would be a great story for a forest school session or in the classroom. There is so much you can do with it and it gives such an important message. It also makes great bed time reading! Overall it left us with a smile on our face and feeling inspired. We have now made it our mission to listen to a black bird’s morning song.

“I loved it because it really made sense. I loved the pictures. The animals looked realistic and the birds were beautiful. It inspired me to want to do good for the world make the world a better place.” Harry age 6

“An inspirational book, young children will enjoy it. It made me feel the world can be a better place if we work together.” Ella Age 10

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan’s children’s books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I read this to my 6 year old this evening. She sat listening intently for the whole book- lovely vocabulary and imagery. She really clung to the idea of the world communicating and started a discussion about how we could help the planet. Poignant and charming.

This is a beautiful book in terms of the writing, message and the wonderful illustrations.
It is so.poignant and can be read on a number of levels with enjoyment for children and a deeper meaning for adults about how we can come together to look after the world and each other.

I thought that this was an absolutely beautiful book , and it's one that any age could read. It is a wonderfully illustrated book that would really engage a child and also introduce the to the different animals. I feel like next time the reader hears a blackbird , they will hear it differently and have a different reaction, take time to think of the world around us.

I can see this being a book I will re-read me find as beautiful every time!.


I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and the publishers .

A Song of Gladness is both beautifully written and illustrated. It was a joy to read it to my 4 year old son and we both enjoyed it immensely.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC.

Blown away by the tender beauty of this picture book by Michael Morpugo, the simple premise of a song of sadness, for forgiveness & eventually of joy & community connection through nature. Timely yet timeless, this is perfect for whole school reflection & discussion.
Perfection.

This book is simply a match made in heaven. With the beautiful words of Michael Morpurgo coupled with the genius of Emily Gravett you get the simply wonderful Song of Gladness. It is just breathtaking.

Itis very topical, with a black bird discussing how we can save our planet with a man in a garden and will appeal to readers of all ages. The messages are simple, yet profound. A must for all readers.

Oh my goodness..
Lockdown has affected us all in different ways, we've all found our own coping mechanisms.
As a single working parent of 5 we spent a lot of the first lockdown in our garden. Setting up our vegetable beds, planting fruit bushes and watching the wildlife thrive. We spent the time together, making memories and working our way through the enforced time at home.
This book has managed to hit right at my heart, it brings to life the importance of not only appreciating, but also revelling in, the smaller things in life. Nevermind how far photos can travel on social media this book is beautifully illustrated to show a message of hope and of solitude rippling across the world, pushing aside boundaries and making itself heard whenever and wherever it was needed.
An absolute stunner of a book that will be incredibly important to share with those who lived through the pandemic with children or without children and also for those in future years who learn about how the world came together during one of the toughest periods faced for many, many years.

A superb book with a very important moral message: to work together and to look after our planet. A blackbird talks to a man who is saddened by the state of our planet. The blackbird has an idea which he passes to a fox and a deer. In turn the message gets passed between animals across the whole world. The story had a lovely ending where the whole world joined together to sing the blackbird's song. I really liked reading the author's explanation for the context of the book at the end. The illustrations (as always by Emily Gravett) are exceptional. My children loved looking at them in detail. There were so many wonderful creatures. They also enjoyed listening to the poetic text and we talked about the story and what the blackbird's 'idea' could be. This book would be a lovely addition to a school and would help reinforce the message that we should appreciate the nature and beauty of our world and work together to help preserve it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan children's books for this ARC.

This is a beautiful book in all senses – its subject, its prose, the wonderful illustrations. It’s about something we all know and, yes, a song we all need.

The premise is a lovely, timely concept – the story of a man talking of our sadness to a blackbird in his garden. The sadness of humanity that has led to many of us losing sight of our connection with nature, with animals, with all the world around us. But Blackbird has an idea and she sends it on its way to all the creatures of the world.

The language is so beautiful – a joy to read out loud – but then you wouldn’t expect anything less from Michael Morpurgo, and the illustrations by Emily Gravett swoop through the pages carrying us along with the whispering animals all around the world.

My children aged 7 and 5 loved it. I started reading it out loud as they played. At first they peered over asking me to turn the book to show the pictures, but they soon climbed up beside me for a better look.
It was lovely to spot the animals and talk about the new words in the text. My son (5) liked following the musical notes from page to page and we talked about what the sadness might be, and how ‘singing as one’ might help our hearts. There’s plenty to talk about. I really appreciated the authors contextualisation at the end – it really clarifies the timing and sentiment of the book. I have to say though – I’d really love to hear the song, we (‘dad’) managed to read a little of the melody but we were left intrigued.

A Song of Gladness is such a delicious read which I highly recommend to families young and old. It captures something of our shared experience – both over this difficult year and long before it – and joins the chorus of voices pleading for our action to truly appreciate and save our home. I may have to buy a copy to hold in my hands.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to review this ARC copy.

A lovely, hope-filled book reminding us of how we are all connected and how we need to unite to save the planet, which we are putting at risk.

This book made me sing! The illustrations are lovely to look at, and the colour palette is just perfect. I'm sure many children and adult will want to be closer to the environment and listen to the birds after reading this. Superb book!

Such beautiful illustrations accompanying the words in this book. I’m not sure who the intended reader is, have a feeling a younger audience will have a job working out what the “it” that is the song actually is.

A Song of Gladness is a beautiful book that teaches children that we are all linked and dependent on each other on this planet and that we must all look after the planet and each other. The illustrations are stunningly beautiful and are perfectly paired with the stages of travel of the blackbird’s song and message. It is a song of forgiveness that teaches parents and children alike that we must keep on trying to do our best by the planet and all its inhabitants. Younger children may struggle to stay engaged with the story but will delight in the pictures and all the animals listed. Overall, a gorgeous message and a gorgeous book.

This is a gorgeous book, both in terms of its illustrations and message. The main character is sad and reflective (which is something that we can all empathise with at the moment) and interacts with a blackbird in the garden. We travel to many parts of the world as the blackbird spreads his plan to many other animals. The ending is humbling and thought-provoking. Every library and bookshelf should have this book! It should be shared and explored with the hope of coming together to support our planet.

Thank you so much for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.