Birdy Flynn

There is the secret of Birdy’s grandmother’s cat. How the boys tortured it and Birdy had to drown it in the river. There’s the secret of Mrs. Cope, the popular teacher who took advantage of Birdy. And the secret of the gypsy girl at school who Birdy likes, but can’t talk about. Because Birdy’s other secret is that while she fights as good as the boys, she is a girl.

In this funny and sad portrayal of a young person growing up in an imperfect family, every reader will recognise in Birdy their own struggle to find their place in the world.

Helen Donohoe studied politics at Manchester University and the LSE and has dedicated her career to speaking up for the powerless and invisible as a campaigner, lobbyist, volunteer and writer. She recently completed the MA in Creative Writing (Novels) at City University, London, winning the PFD Novel Writing Prize for Birdy Flynn, her first novel. She lives in London.