Fly Flies

A beautiful little story that encompasses values such as perseverance, assertiveness and positivity through the most unlikely of antagonists, the modest little fly! -- IBBY UK

Fly Flies has a really strong message about staying true to yourself and not being swayed by others. It's a terrific book. -- Get Kids Into Books

Fly just wants to have fun flying, but everyone she meets thinks she's doing it all WRONG!

Fly is happily practicing her flying in the park, doing some wibbles and some wobbles and some waveys. Blackbird, Seagull, Starling and Hawk take turns giving Fly advice about the best way to fly; fly in a straight line, glide on the wind, fly in a flock, dive onto your food.... Fly tries to take their advice on board, but each time finds that this is not HER way to fly.

With a sweet, witty twist at the end, this is a delightful book about staying true to yourself in the face of people who insist they know better.

“YLG REVIEW: Fly Flies is an example of the playfulness that happens in the gaps between text and image. The crisp, witty text is perfectly supported by a bold use of space and limited colour, creating a picture book which celebrates freedom and identity.MY SHELVES ARE FULL REVIEW: A super book looking at originality, being true to yourself and not following the ways of others. Simply and strikingly illustrated, this book is brilliant!KIRKUS REVIEW: An increasingly exasperated fly realizes that it's OK to take to the air in her own way despite what others may think. Fly enjoys flying in "wibbles," "wobbles," and "wavies," but she is interrupted again and again by a series of birds who each insist that she is flying the wrong way. From Blackbird, who claims that a straight line is the best way to fly, to Hawk, who advises Fly to dive for her food, each bird comes with a critique and an insistence that Fly do things their way. Fly becomes more fed up with each encounter, but in the end she meets Butterfly, who joins her in her way of flying--but not before Fly mistakenly takes out her frustrations on the even-keeled Butterfly. Fly comes to understand that different is not wrong and that she likes her way of flying just fine. Modeling self-confidence for young readers, Fly decides to tell everyone to buzz off even before she receives external validation. Although the lesson may not be new, the book feels fresh. Hanaor tells Fly's story with colloquial, pithy language that teaches a lesson without moralizing. Bowsher's cheerful illustrations are clear and bold, using just black and yellow, and convey a range of emotions and a lot of sass through simple facial expressions. An easy introduction to the joy of being oneself.THE BOOK ACTIVIST: Fly Flies is a sweet story about being happy as you are. Fly is enjoying a day of wibbly wobbly flying all over the place. Blackbird, Seagull, Starling and Hawk insist she's doing it wrong - but she know she's now even though she tries to be like them. With bold black and white illustrations, our unexpected hero's journey of trial and error is brilliantly depicted and her final outburst is spot-on! Leaving you with a warm feeling, this story celebrates the importance of being yourself, no matter what.READING ZONE REVIEW: This book is easy to follow, with simple black and white cartoon pictures which give it a vintage feel. This would be a nice story to share in a class setting as part of a minibeast topic or perhaps a PSHE session as there's a nice moral about doing your own thing, and a lovely example of how being nice to someone can change their mood and outlook at the end'.BAMBINO GOODIES REVIEW: Sweet story about a fly who gets tired of being told what to do and decides to follow his own path. Monochrome illustrations (with occasional pops of yellow) ensure the littlest readers will engage.PAUL ET PAULA REVIEW: A delightful book about staying true to yourself in the face of people who insist they know better. Love the illustrations!LET THEM BE SMALL REVIEW: ' A delightful story about following your own path. The moral is subtle but wonderfully done, and the monochrome illustrations along with bursts of colour make it wonderfully inviting for the children. It's been a regular read for us recently.'MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW: A uniquely charming picture book by author Ziggy Hanaor and illustrator Alice Bowsher, "Fly Flies" is an especially recommended for family, preschool, daycare center, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for children ages 3-8.”

''A delightful story about following your own path. The moral is subtle but wonderfully done, and the monochrome illustrations along with bursts of colour make it wonderfully inviting for the children. It's been a regular read for us recently.'' - Let Them Be Small

Alice Bowsher is a rising star in the world of illustration, with big cam - paigns for Boden, Byron Burgers and Camden Brewery under her belt. She is the author of The Line (Cicada, 2016) and Read All About It (Cicada, 2017).

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