Pablo and Birdy

Pablo and Birdy
Alison McGhee
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, 2017 288 pages
Grades 4-7
Animal/Realistic Fiction

The last time the "winds of change" hit the small sea community of Isla, baby Pablo was washed ashore in a plastic blow-up swimming pool accompanied only by his parrot friend, who he named Birdy once he became old enough to talk. Pablo was taken in by shopkeeper Emmanuel and along with other diverse merchants has been nurtured and loved for the past ten years. Now as his tenth birthday, or "finding day" approaches, the winds of change are returning.  The community is in a flutter. Will this weather event bring back the legendary Seafaring Parrot, who can understand and repeat every sound ever heard and, since being once spotted in the small community, has become its unofficial mascot and tourist draw? As the winds of change gradually shift the energy of the community, curiosity seekers strive to locate the mysterious bird. Meanwhile, a stray dog wanders into town looking for food and causes a bit of mayhem. The two stories come together as Birdy must reveal her true identity to help Pablo. Will the world find out who Birdy really is and make him a trapped exhibition, especially since she is unable to fly? Pablo must make sacrifices in order to help his friend, all while coming to terms with his identity and discovering a new companion in the process.

At first glance this story seems deceivingly simple. Digging beyond the sweet friendship plot lies current controversial and timely themes of immigration, what makes a family, and the corruption of the media. Animal lovers will be a natural audience for this tale. It will especially appeal to bird lovers, of whom there are plenty, and are undeserved in the animal genre. The story feels as if there is an undercurrent of magic and indeed slightly fantastical events transpire, yet not so unbelievable that I would label the book a fantasy. Full-page pencil illustrations, contributed by Ana Juan, are well executed and relevant to the text and will attract readers. McGhee offers readers a diverse cast of characters who function more as a family than simply a community. Pablo is in great hands. Although he does discover a little about his parentage, the details are never forthcoming and in the end it does not matter, because he has a whole town loving and caring for him. McGhee points out some of the many different reasons that people chose to immigrate, reinforcing that we a nation of immigrants and we all came from somewhere else originally. The tropical mood and setting of the story are fully realized and the reader can sense the restlessness brought on by the winds of change. A quiet and cozy story with enduring characters that has much to say.