Little Puffling grows up with Long Black Feather and Big Stripy Beak, who tell him to stay in the burrow, safe from the dangerous gulls, while they bring him fish and sand-eels to eat. He asks, Am I strong enough yet? Am I tall enough yet? Am I brave enough yet? And his parents measure his paddling strength and his height, and listen to his heart (this part made me tear up). Eventually the puffling is deemed ready, but he has to make the journey to the water on his own. A tender heartbreaker of a book about growing up and leaving the nest - literally!

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Re-read many times including July 2019 ( )

Sweet, well-illustrated. The fodder is better than the writing, but heartstrings are pulled... ( )