Evocative and beautifully observed, this narrative perfectly captures the world of Stride, a boy on the cusp of adolescence. When Jess arrives unexpected and uninvited, a chain of events over which Stride has no control pushes him into a new world of love, fear, shame and self-discovery. Even his previously indestructible relationship with Ferd, his pet cockatoo, is cast in a different light when Jess is around. He must find a way to deal with Ferd, Jess, and his own tempestuous emotions—all the while adapting to the drastic changes that surround him.

Evocative and beautifully observed, this narrative perfectly captures the world of Stride, a boy on the cusp of adolescence. When Jess arrives unexpected and uninvited, a chain of events over which Stride has no control pushes him into a new world of love, fear, shame and self-discovery. Even his previously indestructible relationship with Ferd, his pet cockatoo, is cast in a different light when Jess is around. He must find a way to deal with Ferd, Jess, and his own tempestuous emotions—all the while adapting to the drastic changes that surround him.