Reviews of A Surprisingly Fluffy Bird

'A Surprisingly Fluffy Bird’ is a lovely book, full of sense, sad at times and touching also. And it's really, really well written, but far too short! I wanted there to be more in it and I am looking forward to the other Adventures of Algy.

I read the book because I like reading books about animals and toys, and I was given a copy of it to review. I liked the cover and the pictures.

The book is funny at times, touching and a wee bitty sad. I felt happy and glad for Algy. I found it funny when his spiky hair brushed the roof of the sand cave.

I liked the way Jenny Chapman describes the sea and the pounding, crashing kind of rhythm. I also like the way the animals can talk to one another.

It is unique, though it reminds me of Charlotte’s Web where there is strife and happy endings. If you read this book and write a review, you will probably say that it is absolutely wonderful and life-like.

I would like to shake wings with Algy and congratulate him for his bravery, sense and good humour. He is a never-giving-up, fluffy bird.

(Miss M, 10 yrs )

Algy might be fluffy but the real surprising thig is how much fun his tales are to read. Author Jenny Chapman fills her book with so many great sounds and sights and that kids and adults alike with love reading along with all the characters Algy meets during his adventures. The way sounds are visualized is a lot of fun and one of my favourite things about this book.

子供向けにシンプルな文章とリズミカルな言葉で書かれた、もふもふ鳥アルジーの冒険譚。英語の勉強が苦手だった大人が子どもに読んでやるにはまさにうってつけ。少し大きい子なら、大人と交代で読みっこするにも良さそう。まずはひと通り声に出して読んで、webサイトも参考にしながら、アルジーの世界に浸ってください。日本人にはもひとつ馴染みの薄いスコットランドの、さらにあまり耳にする機会がないハイランド地方の自然や動植物の描写も興味深いです。

[Unfortunately, Algy does not read Japanese, but he managed to contact the reviewer in Japan, who very kindly provided this translation into English:
“Even if you had been terrible at English class at school, don’t worry. In this book, the author doesn’t use complicted grammar and when you read aloud to your little child you’ll find yourself enjoying the very rhythmical words. Bigger kids, reading each other with the help of Algy’s web site, will get excited about the story. And the descriptions of nature will arouse your interest in Scottish Highlands (not so familiar for Japanese people).”]

This is an engaging, fun read, the kind of book you can read to a young child and start conversations about the imaginary world it inspires us all to create, because we want to travel it with Algy. It also made this old man want more Adventures of Algy, because I enjoyed this first one so much.