Book Review: The Boy, The Bird, and the Coffin Maker by Matilda Woods

Pages: 208
Publisher: Philomel
Released: May 15, 2018
Received: ARC from publisher
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars, Special Shelf
Goodreads

There are some books that are just magical, and this is one of them. Fairy tales can have this effect, if done right, where even though the story is short, the characterization is minimal, and every aspect of the plot doesn't always make perfect sense, there's just a special something that makes the story tug at my heartstrings and stay with me in a meaningful way. I care about the characters from page one in a hugely protective, almost visceral way. I'm invested in their story. The messages hit me in a deeply personal way. The Boy, the Bird, and the Coffin Maker has that magical quality.

It also doesn't hurt that the chapters are super tiny and every page is beautifully illustrated.

Highly recommended.


BOOK DESCRIPTION

Friendship and magical realism sparkle on the page in this heartwarming, delightfully eccentric illustrated middle-grade gem from an extraordinary new literary voice. Perfect for fans of A Snicker of Magic and The Penderwicks.

Alberto lives alone in the town of Allora, where fish fly out of the sea and the houses shine like jewels. He is a coffin maker and widower, spending his quiet days creating the final resting places of Allora's people.

Then one afternoon a magical bird flutters into his garden, and Alberto, lonely inside, welcomes it into his home. And when a kindhearted boy named Tito follows the bird into Alberto's kitchen, a door in the old man's heart cracks open. Tito is lonely too--but he's also scared and searching for a place to hide. Fleeing from danger, he just wants to feel safe for once in his life. Can the boy and the old man learn the power of friendship and escape the shadows of their pasts?

With a tender bond that calls to mind The Girl Who Drank the Moon, charming characters reminiscent of The Penderwicks, and the whimsy of A Snicker of Magic, this is a novel to curl up with, an extraordinary work of magical realism that makes the world feel like a warmer and happier place. Complete with dazzling interior illustrations, a gem from start to finish.


AUTHOR BIO

Matilda Woods (www.matildawoods.com) grew up in the small town of Southern Tablelands, Australia. She graduated from Monash University with a Masters of Social Work. Matilda splits her time between writing middle grade fiction and working as a youth social worker. The Boy, the Bird, and the Coffin Maker is her debut novel. She currently lives in the same small town where she grew up, with her four chickens, three dogs, two cats and one bird.

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