A Surprisingly Fluffy Bird (1) (Tales from the Adventures of Algy) - Hardcover

“Can’t recommend it highly enough – it deserves to become a modern day classic.”

“A charming beautifully written book that leaves you with a ‘feel good’ feeling.”

“...really captures the joys and essence of the scenery and wildlife in the West Highlands.”

"The tale of a bird washed into the sea and carried on driftwood to a strange and wild shore. The soppy title is deceptive as Fluffy Bird is actually about pathfinding, fear, and winning acceptance – the things that really interest children. And adults too. From a bank of seaweed, blocking escape as the tide approaches, to the urgency of relearning to fly as a predator pounces, objects, animals, landscapes and events are a series of dimly grasped but deadly threats, until the escaped hero finally recounts them in ballad form to his new friends, like the shipwrecked wanderer Odysseus to the hospitable Phaeacians. For Phaeacia read the west coast of Scotland. Jenny Chapman writes in verse at least as well as in prose, which is well though not simply. A pleasure for imaginative kids who like stories. Mum and dad will enjoy it too."

From an Amazon TOP 1000 REVIEWER VINE VOICE: "It’s not your conventional children’s story, to put it mildly. From page one, Algy is a lost, stranded, endangered bird, scared and confused. He meets a variety of creatures, mostly birds, some friendly, some not so friendly, and all well-observed renditions of common birds of the Western Isles- well, apart from the fact that real birds can’t speak English, but otherwise you know what I mean...

There’s a strong thread of traditional oral storytelling running through the core of the story. At one point Algy effectively pays his way with a song, his own ballad of how he came to be stranded in a strange place (the prose turns into poetry for several pages at this stage). You can easily picture a good folk singer giving the story some real welly at this point.

In keeping with the oral storytelling, sound plays a big part in the story- and in the reading of the story. The sound of the sea is ever-present, and is good fun to read out loud. The cormorants and the seagulls all have dialogue clearly written with their proper bird calls in mind, so if you are reading it out loud, it can become a real impressions-of-birds performance piece."

A Surprisingly Fluffy Bird

Introducing Algy, the most unusual and charming fluffy bird you could ever hope to meet! 

A Surprisingly Fluffy Bird is the first book in this unique series of children's novels set in the beautiful but harsh environment of the wild west coast of the Scottish Highlands, with a cast of memorable wildlife characters, each with its own distinctive voice... and Algy, an immigrant from far across the sea, who is also a poet and ballad-maker. There are no other animal adventures stories quite like the delightful Tales from the Adventures of Algy!

Algy is completely and utterly lost - at sea! When his tiny raft emerges from the swirling mist, Algy finally sees the rocky coast and hills of a foreign land... but can he manage to reach the shore safely, and then survive in this strange new place?

This is a thrilling story of endurance and achievement; dangers and misfortune overcome; funny, friendly creatures and mean, nasty beasts, and - making his way through it all with endless good humour and a song in his beak - an extraordinary and talented bird, who is, without doubt, surprisingly fluffy.

"In this first book of Algy's adventures, Jenny Chapman showcases her evoking writing style, bringing to life the characters and Scottish scenery with a story that has managed to capture the hearts of children and adults alike. I read this book to my after-school group of children ranging from ages 7 to 9, and it was successful in keeping this usually rowdy group quiet and engaged. We had pleas of, 'Can we read one more page before home time?' and spoiler requests of, 'Can't you tell me if it has a happy ending?' The adventure intrigued the children, often keeping them on the edge of their seats and prompting them to think about what might happen next. In my opinion, a wonderfully entertaining book for girls and boys of all ages."

For young readers aged 7 to 10, and the perfect bedtime story for the wee ones - they will keep coming back for more :)

Tales from the Adventures of Algy are also loved by many grown-ups who are still young at heart, and who are enchanted by this delightful breath of fresh air from the rugged coast of the Scottish Highlands, and the sense of joy which these stories bring to readers of all ages.

With original colour illustrations by the author, and a glossary of Scottish and Gaelic words and names.

You can learn more about Algy and discover all his facilities for young readers at adventuresofalgy.com. Algy also has his own Facebook page "adventuresofalgy" and his own blog adventuresofalgy.blog.