When the Birds Wake Up

Jessica Mary Ellis won the David Fickling Books’ Search for a Storyteller competition 2026 with When the Birds Wake Up. The story has themes of love, loss, family, friendship and self-discovery and is written as a verse novel. Ellis uses the format very well and it suits the narrative perfectly. Shy and already very self-conscious about her ears, which she thinks stick out, Pear must also cope with moving house and starting a new school when the family go to live with her much-loved grandma, who shows signs of developing Alzheimer’s. It would be a lot for anyone to deal with, but things feel worse when she is picked on at school. The adoption of Piglet, a former farm dog with a history that has left him scarred and odd-looking too provides Pear with the friend she needs, and she begins to regain some confidence, making a new friend at school. Music is a refuge for her as are the stories her grandma has been sharing with her since she was a baby; how will Pear use one and preserve the latter? There’s clearly a lot happening in the book with additional dramas added e.g. Pear’s grandma getting lost, Piglet running away, but Jessica Mary Ellis does well to keep the different threads and themes controlled. The verse comes into its own here, delivering sharp bursts of powerful emotion, allowing the narrative to switch quickly from one scene or storyline to another, and occasionally to add humour. Pear emerges as a believable character as do the others in the book and Ellis succeeds in conveying the importance of family and shared memories in shaping who we are. Sophie Burrow’s illustrations are a comforting addition and also frame some of the poems beautifully. It’s an impressive debut.

Read a Q&A interview with Jessica Mary Ellis.