The Stolen Songbird
by Judith Eagle (Goodreads Author), Jo Rioux  (illustrator)

3 out of 5 stars

Caro is forced to stay with her strict Great Aunt Mary, who does not allow pets at her house. Caro smuggles in her adorable pet rabbit, but doesn’t realize that she has also smuggled in a stolen painting hidden in her mother’s old suitcase. The news is full of a gang of thieves operating around London, and Caro begins to suspect they might be after the painting. Caro and her friends vow to keep the painting safe and try to return it to the rightful owners. Horace is obsessed with fashion design, and Albie can knit anything, even a rabbit hutch or a rope ladder. Together they hope to track down the thieves, but Great Aunt Mary won’t let them leave the house without adult supervision. Caro plans to run away and have her own adventures without Great Aunt Mary frowning over her shoulder. But Caro discovers that she will need the support of all her family and friends if she wants to outsmart the gang of thieves.

This story is full of mystery and fun! I really liked the characters and all the wacky adventures. There are some very sweet family moments with Caro and her friends as they bond and support each other.

Caro is used to being bullied, because she has two mothers who are in a relationship together. Caro’s father ran off, and her mother fell in love with another woman.
Horace is bullied because he is of Caribbean ethnicity. Albie is bullied because he’s an orphan. These children all have something to overcome, and they find strength in their friendship.

The best part of this book was seeing how Caro matures and realizes that she is not the center of the universe; other people are hurting and needing compassion too. She was really a brat at the beginning of the book, but she grows a lot through the story and learns to be less selfish.

The writing is charming and light-hearted. The chapters just fly by as the story captures your attention and your heart!

To see the sensitive content in this book, check it out on the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/the-stolen-songbird-2592985

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.