Morris Gleitzman, Tweet, Penguin Australia, April 2024, 368 pp., $17.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781761343742
Tweet is an incredible story that revolves around a small family unit consisting of Jay, his Poppa and Clyde the pet budgie. Readers follow an extraordinary and exciting adventure that considers environmental conservation through the eyes of Jay and his precious and very clever, almost human, pet. Clyde loves completing jigsaws with Jay and his family, and he has proven to be quite adept at solving them.
However, with Jay’s parents missing in Africa, Poppa becoming increasingly unwell, and strange and unexplained gatherings of birds being reported across the globe, Clyde begins to realise that some puzzles have no easy solution.
Soon, Jay and Clyde find themselves embroiled in a fact-finding mission to discover the message that their feathered friends are attempting to communicate to the world. Jay and Clyde, and their friends Maxine and Dora embark on an exciting, funny, risky journey to save not only their families but also the families of the world.
Morris Gleitzman is a masterful storyteller. In Tweet he develops an engaging narrative between two devoted friends that blends adventure, mystery, humour and matters of the heart. The title of the novel, Tweet, reflects an insightful understanding of the influence of social media on today’s children and how this generation uses technology to communicate with each other and the world – in this case the social platform, ‘Twitter’ and a play on the word ‘tweet.’ It’s a shame that its name has been changed, which might lessen the impact of the title.
Despite that unfortunate recent development, the significance of this choice of title remains relevant, as the main characters communicate with both friends and foes during their quest of discovery as a means to reducing the impact of climate change.
Gleitzman assists children to understand the looming threat of climate change and to highlight the importance of communication about this issue amongst all stake holders, and to encourage appropriate action. In his unique way, Gleitzman skilfully presents a potentially complex problem in such a way that it is accessible to young readers and thus has greater effect and impact.
Delving into themes surrounding death, loss, and grief Gleitzman adopts a sensitive approach whilst keeping the story light-hearted.
Tweet is ideal for any child passionate about learning more about different bird species and/or the significant impacts of climate change.
Teacher resources are available at the publisher’s website.
Recommended for readers aged 10+.
Reviewed by Julie Deane
