Milo and Twig by Liz Brizzi is a touching story about friendship, kindness, and knowing when to let go. After finding an injured bird, Milo does everything he can to help Twig heal. As their friendship grows, Milo learns that sometimes the best thing for a friend is not what you want, but what they need.

The relationship between Milo and Twig feels natural and heartfelt, making it easy for young readers to connect with their journey. My four-year-old really enjoyed the story and was engaged from beginning to end. It also opened the door for conversations about caring for animals and being a good friend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance review copy.

Milo and Twig is a tender, quietly beautiful picture book that handles a big emotional concept — letting go of someone you love — with real grace. When Milo rescues an injured baby bird and nurses him back to health, the bond that forms between them is genuinely sweet, and Brizzi does a lovely job showing readers what it looks like to put someone else's needs above your own.

The story takes the classic "if you love something, let it go" idea and makes it accessible and emotionally honest for young readers without leaning into melodrama. That's a tough balance to strike, and Brizzi mostly nails it. The pacing is gentle and unhurried — perfect for the picture book format — and the message that our actions can positively impact others lands with warmth.
The illustrations are charming and expressive, with a softness that suits the story's tone beautifully. Milo and Twig's friendship feels real on the page, which makes the emotional payoff at the end genuinely moving.

The only reason I'm giving this four stars rather than five is that the story treads familiar territory, and readers who know the "boy rescues animal" picture book genre well may find it follows a fairly predictable arc. But for its intended audience? It's exactly right — and the tenderness Brizzi brings to both the writing and illustration makes it well worth a spot on the shelf.

A sweet, meaningful read for anyone navigating big feelings about love, friendship, and saying goodbye.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this one. When a bird falls from its nest and injures its wing, a young boy helps nurse it back to health. Milo (the boy) and Twig (the bird) help each other see the wonder in the world around him. When Twig is healed, he wants to return to the wild and Milo supports him by setting him free. But Twig still sings for Milo. This was sweet and my little nature loving kiddos will enjoy every part of this story.

First and foremost, the art in this book is incredible. I loved every single page. As a teacher we often talk about point of view and narrator. I think this would be a great book to use to discuss POV and narrator. And the icing on the cake is that it has a good message to take care of people and let them fly.

What a heartwarming book about an unlikely friendship and empathy. Milo saves a bird when he falls from his nest so he brings him home and calls him Twig. They share food and fun experiences, but Twig’s wing heals he realizes he misses the sky and wind outside. When he stops singing, Milo knows it’s time to bring him outside and set him free.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A beautiful story about the importance of letting wild things be free. My only concern as a birder and wildlife photographer is that when an injured nestling is found on the ground it is important to call a wildlife rehab as it caring for injured birds requires a license and in general we should discourage children from illegally holding on to injured wildlife despite their good intentions. That being said, I can lighten up enough to understand the subtext and intent of the story. The book has nice prose. The illustrations are gorgeous and it's a pleasant read. My bird loving 3 year old liked it.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful and it delivers a timeless idea in a very elegant way. I thought it was unique the story was told from the bird's perspective and I think this book would make a great addition to any story time!

An excellent story about the greatest gift is helping someone spread their wings. I read it with my 4 year old granddaughter and she loved the artwork and story. She said she would rate is 5 stars.