Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman

I really wanted to like this book and I very nearly did. But I just couldn't connect with it. I thought the boy narrator's voice came across much too young for an 11 year old and I just did not understand the pigeon thing. As a result, it all felt a bit unreal and distant so not as powerful or immediate as it could have been. However, the writing is very good and there are some very poignant dialogues between the children. The differences between life in an African village and a London estate are dealt with very cleverly - in a way which is both unobtrusive and striking. There are some very enjoyable parts to the book and it is worth reading, but I couldn't really engage with it.