Barnaby is a blue budgie who's got it all: a golden cage, bells to jingle-jangle, and an owner who gives him all the snacks and attention he wants. Until his owner brings home a "friend" for Barnaby: a little yellow canary.

Barnaby is not happy. When his tantrums don't convince his owner to get rid of the canary, Barnaby flies away and ends up hopelessly lost. While stopping for a rest, he encounters a flock of wild sparrows. At first, he looks down his beak at the drab, brown birds. But, growing hungrier and thirstier, he realizes he has a lot to learn from them. Soon Barnaby is a part of their flock, scavenging for seeds and riding on the wind.

But Barnaby can't forget his former home, and every night he searches for his owner's house using tricks the sparrows taught him. Finally, he finds it, and Barnaby returns home a changed bird. As they relate to the book's subtle messages about sibling rivalry and jealousy, readers will enjoy Barnaby's antics and the sweet conclusion to this story.

Andrea Curtis is an author of books for children and adults. Her children's nonfiction titles include Eat This! and What's for Lunch?. She is also the author of the young adult novel Big Water. Her adult books include Into the Blue, winner of the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction, and The Stop, co-authored by Nick Saul.

Kass Reich is a Toronto-based artist, who specializes in illustration and making picture books. Her board books include Hamsters Holding Hands and This Little Hamsters.