I first noticed a grey warbler fledgling outside my window who couldn't get the tune quite right. He'd start singing, get a note wrong and falter, then try tentatively again. Like a child learning the recorder, I thought.

Like a child...

Into the Woods is a surprisingly joyful, hopeful little story about the power of nature, and specifically birds, to heal us when we are hurt. The narrator has lost a child and in the fog of grief that surrounds her she finds herself drawn to the birds of the New Zealand bush and their songs. She overcomes a phobia of birds to make connections with the wildlife around her and ultimately to make connections again with the people she loves. Beautifully written and honestly raw emotions make this a powerful read.