Fenway and the Loudmouth Bird

Victoria J. Coe's Fenway and the Loudmouth Bird is a funny chapter book for 7 year olds about a little dog who is NOT happy to share the spotlight.

What happens

Fenway tells the story himself, and he's thrilled to be visiting Nana. Nana snuggles him and plays his favourite game, abracadabra. She hides a little ball under a scarf, and he pretends not to know where it is (for treats, obviously).

But this visit is different. There's a bird living at Nana's. And it talks, in Human!

Merlin says HELLO over and over, and everyone thinks he's wonderful. Worse, he learns to shout FEN-way in exactly the voice that means you're in trouble.

Then Fetch Man and Food Lady drive off with the bag of treats still in the car. Fenway is stuck at Nana's with Hattie, his short human. And that bird.

Being inside Fenway's head is the joy of it. He's convinced the squirrels outside are plotting to get Hattie. He can't understand why nobody wants to play with their adorable dog. And he's very sure about lots of things he's got completely wrong.

Young readers will be in on every joke. They'll know exactly what the grown-ups are up to even when Fenway doesn't, and that makes them feel very clever.

The chapters are short, with simple sentences and plenty of barking, so it suits children who are just starting chapter books on their own. It's great fun read aloud too (Merlin's lines are made for a silly voice).

Underneath the jokes, it's about feeling pushed aside by someone new. Who hasn't been a little bit jealous of the new favourite?

If you've got a reader who loves animals with LOTS of personality, this is a real treat.

What to read next

For more of Fenway's war on the sneaky squirrels, try Fenway and the Bone Thieves. This time he's got a brand-new bone, and he's decided nobody is ever taking it away from him.