The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo - OPTIONAL

The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo, 361 pages. Aladdin (Simon & Schuster), 2019. $18. 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Siblings Alistair and Aggie are African Grey Parrots living in a pet shop. Alistair is an intellectual type obsessed with literature. He is extremely protective of Aggie and has been plotting a plan for escape. Aggie is much more easy going and rather likes Fritz, the boy who takes care of them after school. When Alistair and Aggie end up in separate homes, Alistair becomes desperate to reunite with his sister. Amid the upheaval, Alistair is going to learn some of the simpler lessons of life. 

The beautiful cover easily sells the book. If kids can get past the slightly intellectual opening poem and flowery description of a bird hatching, they might stay with it. The writing is beautiful at times, but Alistair’s tendency to analyze literature and Bertie’s outdated conversations with her deceased husband can be boring. Nevertheless, Alistair is a great main character. It has similarities to The One and Only Ivan in that animals contemplate their situation, but it is a more advanced read.

Reviewer: Valerie McEnroe, MLIS