The Boy, the Bird and the Coffin Maker

By: Matilda Woods

Narrated by: Stephanie Foxley

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 story to curl up with, an extraordinary work of magical realism that makes the world feel like a warmer and happier place.

©2017 Matilda Woods (P)2017 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

'A beautifully written debut about recovering from grief and finding hope through an unlikely friendship. The writing itself is a gorgeous lyrical prose laced with magical realism ...' (BookTrust)

'Woods has penned a gentle fable, one rich in hope that promotes the strength of kindness.' (Shelf Awareness, starred review)

'Awash in magical realism, this is a gentle tale of two hearts, broken by a sometimes harsh world, who find solace, comfort, healing and safety in a new family ... A warm-hearted, beautifully told tale.' (School Library Connection)

'A lyrical and melancholy tale [filled with] atmospheric writing.' (School Library Journal)