Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Odd, battered characters find one another in quirky tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Alastair, a strong-minded young African grey parrot, is determined to perfect THE SIMPLE ART OF FLYING so that he and his sweet sister Aggie can escape the dismal pet shop for a life of freedom and happiness before they get sold and never see each other again. Unfortunately, there are problems, starting with Alastair's habit of biting people when stressed, which causes them to wave their hands wildly and fling him against a wall, so now one of his wings is permanently crippled. Also, Aggie seems to be in love with Fritz, the 12-year-old kid who works at the pet store and is saving every dime to take her home. Then there's Birdie, the strange old lady who talks to her dead husband, and who seems to be taking an alarming interest in Alastair. It's enough to make a bird pull out all his feathers, so Alastair does, but there's plenty of stress to go around as these four damaged but determined souls are thrown together and make some unexpected discoveries. Like poetry.
Is It Any Good?
There's a lot of heart and sweetness in Cory Leonardo's quirkily soulful tale of African grey parrots, smart lonely people, and their intertwined lives. Also a lot of literature (as young parrot Alastair gets inspired by the poetry books he eats) and scientific detail as 12-year-old budding doctor Fritz takes notes. The Simple Art of Flying brings unforgettable characters facing troubles that will resonate with many readers, from grief, loss, jealousy, and betrayal to self-harm -- and encouragement from unexpected places.
Here, 12-year-old Fritz, on "just seeing what happens":
"Sometimes, what happens is ... you end up crying in the bathroom during seventh period because you wrote a whole lot of ideas on how to get your dad to move back, and after James and the kids at your lunch table tell you that they won't work, you go to the office to call your mom because you need to know if they're right, and by the way she sounds when she answers your questions, you realize he's never coming home.
"Sometimes you might break a parrot's wing.
"Or a person could be sitting next to you. You're getting some practice filling out a medical chart, and he's talking to you about the time he was flipping burgers and a squirrel ran right up and got caught in his pant leg. And you tell yourself he's probably just tired and needs a nap, because he can't even talk right. But later, you watch from your window as a bunch of paramedics load him into an ambulance and drive away.
"Sometimes it's the bad things that happen. My stomach hurts just thinking about it."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories told by several different narrators, as The Simple Art of Flying does with Alastair, Fritz, and Birdie. Do you know other stories that take that approach? Do you like to hear from several different characters, who are experiencing different things as the story unfolds, or would you rather stick with one viewpoint?
How would you feel if someone were about to separate you and your siblings forever? Do you think there's anything you could do about it?
Do you know anyone who's dealing with loss right now? How are they coping? Is there anything you can think of that might make things easier for that person?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , STEM
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Aladdin
- Publication date : February 12, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 384
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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