As per usual, Gleitzman treats his characters with deference and humour, and encourages the reader to empathise with them while making them laugh out loud. Rib- tickling farce coupled with Gleitzman's enviable talent for making the reader face up to difficult issues, Sticky Beak is a little gem of a book which will appeal to anyone with a love of intelligent, quirky fiction that treats its characters and its readers with respect. --Susan Harrison