The Bird Singers

Polish folklore meets the damp, misty Lake District in this deliciously creepy mystery. Layah and her sister Izzie’s summer is thoroughly disrupted when their mum suddenly changes their holiday plans and decides they need to go to Lowesdale – a town with cafes full of delicious food but not much else.

Layah is unsettled. It’s the first summer since her beloved Babcia passed away and she misses her Polish grandmother’s no-nonsense kindness and wonderful stories. Woken in the night by strange whistling, Layah is sure she sees a shadowy figure in the garden. This is the start of a haunting adventure that leads the girls around Lowesdale to an old school, a mysterious island and deep into the heart of family secrets they never imagined.

Cleverly woven into the story is the Polish folktale of a mysterious bird-woman and a man who wants to control her. Readers are challenged to work out how this links to Layah’s family and left anticipating when fantasy is going to cross with reality. Hints of strange bird-like creatures lead the girls further and further away from safety towards the answer their looking for while throwing up so many questions. Why are they there? What connection do they have to this strange place? Who is telling the truth? What isn’t their mother telling them? If Layah and Izzie are going to protect their family, they’ll need to draw on every ounce of strength and bravery they have and determine exactly who they can trust.

Fans of the Aveline Jones stories by Phil Hickes, Michelle Harrison’s A Pinch of Magic series and Lucy Hope’s Fledgling will adore this book. Frightening strangers, creepy birds, real threat and heart-pounding danger will have them turning page after page as they try to solve the mystery alongside Layah and Izzie. The unique depiction of the Valkyrie adds a new mythical creature to children’s repertoire and will inspire so much imagination building.

The importance of understanding the past, the value of learning and research, and the power of strong girls underlie every aspect of this story. Readers will come away inspired and perhaps just a little bit curious about their own family history.

Thank you to Hachette Children’s Books for this magical book!

Wonderful piece of magic realism, dripping in European folklore & basking in a majestic Lake District setting.

Two sisters, who feel as though their family is unraveling, delve into their mother's mysterious past & discover unbelievable truths.

There is lots to love in this engaging and exciting debut from Eve Wersocki Morris.

Layah and Izzie are visiting the Lake District with their mother when a frightening encounter introduces them to the legend of a local monster. A mysterious whistling sound, numerous dead birds and the appearance of some very strange feathers soon force the sisters to question why they are at the centre of something very strange. As they investigate what might be causing these unusual events, they uncover the tragic past of the village where they are staying and find secrets that connect with their own family history.

Drawing inspiration from Polish mythology, Bird Singers is a thrilling and occasionally scary tale that depicts an entirely relatable sibling relationship and shows the power we can unleash to protect the ones we love.

The Bird Singers is an adventurous story for readers aged 9+ who love folklore, magic, monsters and mystery.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Age recommendation: 9+

'The whistling had started on their first night. At first, Layah thought it was bird song - a high thin sound which became a melody, rising and falling. And each night, it returned.'

When sisters Layah and Izzie are dragged by their mother to a run-down cottage in the middle of nowhere, it's not exactly their idea of a holiday... Why is father not with them? And why is mother behaving so strangely?

And then the whistling starts, a handful of feathers appear on their doorstep and there are rumours of a shadowed woman appearing in the forest... All those strange occurrences remind Layah of Babcia's myths and fairy tales and as more events unfold, Layah begins to wonder whether Babcia's stories may be true...

There are many things I enjoyed about the story: the folklore, the Lake District setting, a MC with my name, the eerie atmosphere and the unexpected twist, the plot and the fact that the sisters have got both parents (who are also far from perfect and are going through the struggles of their own). I really liked the characters in the book. Both sisters are such great heroines - the brave and loyal Layah and the booky Izzie make a perfect duo. I wasn't convinced by the character of the creepy professor and particularly his role in the story but that's my only minor remark. Oh wait, there's one thing I didn't like about the book - it's the fact that it didn't come with copious amounts of potato pancakes and dumplings - I had to make my own!

'The Bird Singers' is a captivating debut and Eve Wersocki-Morris is one to watch!

Sometimes the cover of a book just demands that you read it, that and all the hype that The Bird Singers has been receiving on social media (and having read it, the hype is more than justified).

Sisters Layah and Izzie are not impressed that their mum has dragged them off to stay at a rain-soaked cottage in the middle of nowhere. The only thing that interests the girls in Lowesdale are the cakes and they intend to work their way through as many of the treats as possible. But then strange and frightening things begin to happen; a puzzling whistling sound, visions of a yellow-eyed lady, dead birds on the doorstep. And when mum begins acting oddly, Layah is determined to unravel the mysterious events and how they are all connected…
The Bird Singers, with its roots firmly set in Polish mythical folklore, is a deliciously dark and thrilling mystery. With bravery and a wonderful sisterly bond at Its heart, it grips from first page to last as Layah and Izzie go on a nail-biting search for the family truths that their mother is determined to hide, or perhaps protect, them from. But sometimes secrets are best kept that way as the truth can tear a family apart and, even worse, lead to a life and death situation and having to deal with a mythical creature from one of Babcia’s books.

I love a suspense-filled read, one that keeps you guessing, feeling rather uncomfortable and never giving you the opportunity to breathe easy and The Bird Singers oozes mystery and intrigue, with things only getting darker and more dangerous with every turn of the page. You don’t know who to trust in this story of spine-tingling magic and closely-guarded secrets and each character only brings more unease and suspense as the holiday in the Lake District quickly takes a sinister turn. I was quite enjoying the girls’ attempts to work their way through as many different cakes as possible but things rapidly turn into something far more chilling and the debate over whether sherbet and raspberry sponge is better than peanut-butter fudge cake has to be put on hold as powerful magic and dark forces surface.

The quaint village of Lowesdale is the idyllic setting for a little family mystery. And this is one place where appearances are definitely deceiving; the peaceful lanes and delightful teahouse and bakery cannot mask the creepy cottages and the quirky residents who talk of the legendary Lowesdale Stranger. Not to mention the birds - both alive and dead, flickering lights, the peculiar school caretaker and strange figures appearing in the garden in the middle of the night. This is not full-on horror but there’s more than enough to keep the pulse racing.

Such is the quality of writing, it is hard to believe that this is Eve Wersocki Morris’ debut children’s book. But a debut book it is and we many only be in January but I already have a feeling that this will be one of the best books that I read this year.

With huge thanks to Hachette Children’s Books for the copy I received in exchange for an honest review.

Recommended for 9+.

Fans of Aveline Jones will love this book, a truly creepy and original fantasy adventure that will sweep readers away into a masterfully realised world.

This was not my usual read, as it was a bit Famous Five meets monsters, but it was enjoyable. I chose it because the title contained 'singers' but there is no singing in it at all. However, there are many birds and feathers! It was exciting and the girls were both homely and adventurous, a mix that many children will love. The sibling dynamic is lovely and the combination of solving a mystery and the danger and peril that lands them in is great. The whole book is underpinned with family love and I would recommend it to kids aged 10 to 12 who want something a little sassy and dangerous and a bit different.

Amazing contemporary YA read! Magical,

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

Family secrets, Polish folklore, magic and a bit of mystery. Just why have Layah and younger sister Izzie been taken by their mum to a cottage in the lake district. A fabulously intriguing story with delightful characters that keep you on the edge of your seat with every turn of a page. Brilliantly written, fast paced and beautiful descriptive writing.

The Bird Singers is a deliciously dark tale laced with mythology, mystery and malevolence from the first page to the last.

When Layah and her sister Izzie find themselves holidaying in a rain-soaked village, the last thing they expect is to find themselves entangled in a dark and dangerous mystery. Can they unravel their family’s deepest secrets or will dark forces threaten their very existence?

I found The Bird Singers to be an utterly enthralling read: it was entirely unpredictable and I devoured it, desperate to find out the dark secrets lying at the heart of it. I loved the mythological references and the use of dual narrative. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A mythical tale interwoven with a summer holiday at the lakes. Layah and Izzie have grown up listening to and loving their Babcia’s tales and stories. Reading her great passion for myths in her book, the girls will use their grandmother’s knowledge and writing to help them solve a deep mystery involving their mother.

Layah is acutely aware,of a supernatural energy surrounding their sudden departure from London and the devisiveness between their parents is incredibly unsettling for her. She is uncertain of most things but this mystery has her gripped.

Clues keep finding the girls in strange ways and for awhile nothing makes sense…it takes their Babcia’s book to help them see the truth and take steps to protect their family. Layah is fiercely loyal and her emotions run deep. Struggling with the damaged relationship between her parents, and worrying about her younger sister, Layah is angry and hurt. Discovering a lifetime of lies, she is unready to forgive but she will fight! Brave, loyal and ultimately hopeful, Layah is a new heroine to love.

Dangerous, spooky and entirely exciting, I devoured this book. Twists, turns and shady characters will have you guessing which side they are on throughout the whole book.

Part myth, part fairy tale but full of mystery and family. What a great read aloud this would be for a class in ks2.