There’s a new bird in the aviary, and everyone’s in a flap! He’s strange and different – and scary! Will the scary bird ever feel at home with the others? A funny and lighthearted take on migration and fear of newcomers, on leaving home, new beginnings and old memories.

Published by Scholastic Press
ISBN 9781743838594

The story of Scary Bird in part has its origins in my own experiences – I migrated first to England, then to Australia. And there are stories of migration all through my family – stories of people happily looking for adventure, and stories of people having to flee their homes.

I’ve always found it perplexing that xenophobia exists in Australia, a country where most people were either born overseas, or have at least one parent born overseas. 20% of Australians speak a language other than English at home. 3% of the population are indigenous Australians – the rest are either migrants, or are descended from migrants.