
Member Reviews

A heartwarming tale of courage, family, and finding your wings.
The Bird Who Was Afraid to Fly by Harker Jones is a beautifully told story about a young sparrow named Sam who learns that fear doesn’t make you weak—it makes your bravery all the more meaningful. Set against the charming backdrop of Siena, Italy, this gentle narrative weaves together family bonds, emotional growth, and the power of self-belief.
The illustrations by Sara Angus add a nostalgic warmth, using soft watercolor textures and expressive birds that will capture any child’s imagination. While the prose is a bit more text-heavy than most picture books, it offers a perfect read-aloud experience for caregivers and older children ready to dive into deeper storytelling.
A lovely choice for children navigating big emotions or new challenges, this book is as educational as it is encouraging—and a meaningful addition to any bookshelf.
Thank you to Harker Jones and BooksGoSocial for the eARC!

A lighthearted story of a birds journey through the country side. The illustrations of this book is what makes it standout. However, it was difficult to read in E-format. I think this book has the potential to be a great read, however its storyline meanders throughout and can be confusing to follow, especially for children. Overall, this book needs some work with formatting and a more concise storyline.

Sam resembled his sparrow siblings in many ways, but he had one big difference—he was afraid to fly. He kept the secret to himself. Until one day, something happened and he found out that flying wasn’t that frightening.
Though the title is shared by several other books, this story stands out as an enjoyable read. Fun to read with kids. But honestly I hope for better illustration to bring the captivating city and nature of Italian countryside.
Thanks Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity.

A very sweet story with cozy illustrations of a bird who, with the help of his family, learns the valuable lesson of letting go, trusting yourself, and chasing after what you want.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A very sweet story by Harker Jones about a bird who is afraid to fly! We meet the bird's parents and siblings, the neighborhood, many other friends and how the family help them overcome their fears!
The illustrations by Sara Angus are beautiful, with traditional watercolors, realistic art of the many different birds and scenes in the book. They complement the story very well! Some of the "expressions" and poses of the birds are quite hilarious and add a kick to the story!
The text is wordy and longer than most picture books, so children might need the support of parents/elders to read this book to them.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Beautiful illustrations and a sweet story. It was a little too "wordy" for my toddler who is quite impatient but it will be GREAT for when he is around 5 and 6 where he is truly taking in a story.

This was a good story, just kind of hard to read in the kindle format, there was no spacing and the artwork was cut off in points. Love the artwork though, and my son adored it

Silly story with fun kid illustrations. My two young boys thought it was cute. There is ZERO spacing in the pdf version.

I was browsing the Read Now category and came across this children’s book; the cover first caught my eye - I thought the birds were so cute! The illustrations throughout were adorable. This is a great book to encourage kids to overcome their fears, and that it’s okay to ask for help. Beyond that, this book touches on family dynamics (interactions with siblings and parents) and a little bit of life in Italy. I do think some of the vocabulary may be a bit advanced for young children, but it would be a good opportunity for teaching! I don’t have kids myself, but I would pick this up for a friend’s child, especially if they were struggling to find the courage to overcome a fear.

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Lessons about birds, nature, Italy and overcoming fear with the support of family. Well-illustrated too. A good read for children ages 7 - 10. Thank you BooksGoSocial and Netgally for giving me a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest feedback

*The Bird Who Was Afraid to Fly* by Harker Jones is a charming and heartfelt story set in the beautiful city of Siena, Italy. The tale follows Sam, a swallow who is scared to fly. Although he lives high above the main square in a nest with his three siblings, every time Sam looks out, he feels overwhelmed by the loud and intimidating world around him. His fear leads him to retreat back into the nest, where he feels safe. After some teasing from his siblings, Sam decides to face his fears, and in doing so, discovers his own strength and what he is truly capable of.
The illustrations in this book are stunning, appearing to be hand-drawn with colored pencils, which adds a lovely warmth to the story. However, the writing is a bit lengthy for the intended young audience, with the story stretching to 60 pages when it could have been told in a more concise format. Despite this, the book carries a meaningful message about overcoming fear and finding the courage to take risks. I would suggest this book to parents of children who may have fears or are interested in birds and flying. I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Cute storyline. Illustrations were really cool. Lots of text and not exactly meant for 5 year old. I requested the arc to find more books for my daughter. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

An adorable story about a sparrow named Sam learning to overcome his fears and accept help from others. This is a hopeful, lighthearted read that my 9 year old and I thoroughly enjoyed. The charming art style and cozy plotline made for a great afternoon read! Perfect for parents of primary to middle school children who want to teach their kids a meaningful lesson about life.

Hansom little Italian bird in a bowtie! The illustrations were great. I did notice I received this past the publication date and there were spacing errors in my copy. Assuming this has been resolved but I did not see a note. Thank you for the opportunity to read!

A magical children’s book with gorgeous artistry on the importance of bravery. The author has a beautiful way with words, and the storytelling is exquisite.

This was such a sweet story about facing your fears!! I personally really enjoyed it, but I wonder what the target demographic for this is. I’m not an expert on children’s books, but I feel like there might too many words (and some big ones) for this to be suitable for a very young audience. But I think it would be perfect for a child who’s outgrown picture books to be able to a one that’s at their level! Also loved the art!!