''My Dad's a Birdman'' is a 2007 children's illustrated novel by David Almond. It is about a girl, Lizzie, who finds herself looking after her dad, Jackie, after the death of her mother, and his dreams of competing in "The Great Human Bird Competition".

Reception

A '' Booktrust'' review of ''My Dad's a Birdman'' wrote "This charmingly illustrated, funny, fast-paced, seemingly simple story, is also beautifully tender and profound." and ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'' wrote "The characters sport silly names like Doreen Doody and Mr. Poop, and Dunbar’s colored illustrations, which appear on nearly every spread, evoke Quentin Blake. Readers will definitely come away with mixed feelings—not necessarily a bad thing, to be sure." ''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...

'' concluded its review with "As always, however, Almond writes beautifully, and though particular moments may give pause, this novel is a tribute to the human spirit." and the ''

School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with ...

'' wrote "A distinguished author's use of birds and human flight as metaphors for love's transcendence over grief and death takes a new form in this comic piece of magical realism." and concluded "A fine read-aloud." ''

the Horn Book ''The Horn Book Magazine'', founded in Boston in 1924, is the oldest bimonthly magazine dedicated to reviewing children's literature. It began as a "suggestive purchase list" prepared by Bertha Mahony Miller and Elinor Whitney Field, proprietres ...

'' wrote " Almond flies where make-believe and madness converge, where imagination tends toward delusion, offering a stylized treatment of grief that expresses sorrow obliquely. The energy and color of his language -- "the blithering boops. The nits, the ninnies, the nincompoopy noodleheads!"—and the surrealism of his imagery give this strange little tale a haunting brilliance." ''My Dad's a Birdman'' has also been reviewed by '' Reading Time'', ''Library Media Connection'' magazine, and ''

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books ''The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books'' is an academic journal established in 1945 by Frances E. Henne (Graduate Library School, University of Chicago).Wedgeworth, Robert. ''World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services''. Ch ...

''.

Theatre adaptation

In 2010/2011 a play based on the book was performed at the

Young Vic theatre The Young Vic Theatre is a performing arts venue located on The Cut, near the South Bank, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The Young Vic was established by Frank Dunlop in 1970. Kwame Kwei-Armah has been Artistic Director since February 201 ...

featuring original music by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. Two of the songs are featured as demo versions on the

Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo i ...

album ''Yes: Further Listening 2008-2010''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:My Dad's a Birdman 2007 children's books British children's novels 2007 British novels British magic realism novels Walker Books books