Hilda and the Bird Parade

Hilda and the Bird Parade

By Luke Pearson
Published by Flying Eye Books

Pearson's third outing for the blue haired adventurer continues from Hilda and the Midnight Giant's cliffhanger of Hilda and her mother being left homeless. 

So after a familiar dream, Hilda wakes up to find she is now living in the city. Her mother isn't quite so laid back here, with her not so keen to let Hilda out of her sight. But after a some pleading form the local children, Hilda is unleashed on to Trolberg. The children are keen to show Hilda all the best bits of city life, and it soon becomes apparent that Hilda doesn't quite fit in when one of the children hits a raven out of the sky. The city kids don't stick around for long and decide to leg it incase they get in trouble for the injured bird.

Hilda (being the caring girl she is) comes to the raven's aid to find it can actually talk. But the blow to the head its received has made it lose its memory. She to has a predicament as without the city kids she no longer knows how to get back home. So Hilda and the talking raven go in search of her house, hoping that something will jog her and the raven's memory. 

Hilda and the Bird Parade is another great addition to the series, and I love how Pearson has taken Hilda from her usual environment of the countryside and placed her in the city to introduce Trolberg. The city opens up a whole new host of characters and more unusual places for Hilda to explore.

Again, Pearson's art has evolved ever so slightly, my favourite image in the book is when Hilda is getting a lift from the raven - a truly beautiful illustrated sight! Pearson also shows he can build an interesting city, including little details like weeds that sprout up through sidewalk cracks and those stereotypical city kids. 

Hilda and the Bird Parade is available in hardback (with a dust jacket that doubles up as a map!) on the Flying Eye Books website. 

Tune in tomorrow for my review of the fourth Hilda book; Hilda and the Black Hound.