A flock of finches live in harmony together, but are so noisy that no one can hear themselves think. When Henry Finch has a moment of quiet, he experiences his thoughts for the first time. Facing a beast and his own thoughts, Henry learns about the journey of self-discovery and bravery through triumphs and failures alike. This story serves as an introduction to philosophical thought and individuality. The illustrations cleverly emphasize the uniqueness of everyone's thoughts and personalities by utilizing fingerprints as the bodies of the finches.

2016 USBBY Outstanding International Books List, Little Rebels Children's Book Award.

Author and illustrator live in London.

England. Originally published in England by Walker Books in 2015. Published in the United States by Candlewick Press in 2015.

Bravery plays out in surprising ways when a little finch starts having big thoughts.

The finches live in a big flock that makes such a racket nobody can hear themselves think. But one day a small bird wakes up in quiet darkness and has a thought, and he hears it: I am Henry Finch. . . . I could be great. The next day, the Beast comes, and Henry sees his chance—but then a mouth opens wide, and the path to greatness turns out to have some unexpected twists. Delightful illustrations pair with a quirky, funny, and uplifting story for budding philosophers of all ages.