Songbird

by Ingrid Laguna

4.5 out of 5 🌟A wonderful and emotional story about hope

‘Songbird’ is a name Jamila was called by her best friend Mina back in Baghdad, Iraq. Now she is in Australia, a new country away from her friends and family, speaking a foreign language she doesn’t fully understand. Jamila is trying hard to succeed in school and fit in among her peers despite all difficulties. Singing is her way to escape from troubles, allowing her to be happy and careless again. Jamila’s life is hardly resembling all other middle-grade stories, telling about fear, war, and longing for a missing family member whose whereabouts are unknown. Her experience shows the everyday struggle of thousands of children that often goes unnoticed by colleagues and teachers.

The story was captivating and deeply emotional, I felt Jamila's pain when she struggles to communicate and was missing her loved ones abroad. My personal experience as an immigrant is very different from hers but I know what an effort is to express oneself in a foreign language and what does it mean to miss someone who lives far away. The novel teaches about the power of love, friendship and how important are tolerance and kindness toward people.

I was in great admiration for the book’s design, the font is stylish is easy to read and visual accents was a pleasant addition to the reading experience. I read the novel in one sitting because I just cannot stop. I was cheering for both Jamila and her mum. It was pretty short therefore there are only a few other characters are none of them isn’t fully developed. I’d love to hear other voices —like Jamila’s friends and family and their life stories. I loved and was longing for more.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.