A parakeet might be just the thing Corbin needs to bring happiness into his world. His bipolar mother is often unemployed, and their apartment has no furniture, and sometimes no food. And it's not like the neighbours lighten things up: a grouchy old man, a snarky teenager whose mother is never around . A talking bird would be a huge step up. So, when his classmate offers Corbin the bird she can no longer keep, he's all-in. When his mother has an overdose and Corbin can no longer get her - or himself - through the dark period, he discovers his neighbours aren't the unfriendly bunch he thought they were. Maybe this bird has a bit of magic in him. Birdspell , the latest novel by celebrated author Valerie Sherrard, features her trademark blend of humour and warmth.

Mental illness and poverty are at the centre of the novel, but so are hope, and the reminder that friends can be found anywhere.