Well, friends.

I’ve read some pretty good books in my time, but this last one takes the cherry crumble. I usually am ready to pick up the next book the next day, but after reading The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo, I needed some extra time just to digest it all.

And this is only her first book! What will the next one be like, I wonder?

For those of you who haven’t been watching my Instagram feed, The Simple Art of Flyingwas in my first ever Owl Crate Jr. box. And it came with a lot of other cool stuff, too. A flamingo pen, stickers, a pin to add to my book bag, a parrot key chain, a bird guide that’s come in handy while bird-watching this spring…

Oh, and a new friend. He’s an owl and his name is Alden. He likes staying up late reading at night, just like me!

Okay, but what about the book?

Flying isn’t as easy as it looks

Alastair is an African grey parrot who was hatched in a pet shop where the owner like parrots about as much as parrots like him…which in Alastair’s case, isn’t much at all. Alastair’s sister, Aggie, on the other wing likes to see the good in everyone. Even pet store owners who forget to feed her sometimes.

Alastair knows there’s more to the life of being an African grey than waiting for some human to come and separate him and his sister, so he doesn’t waste any time hatching up a whole slew of plans for them to bust out of the pet shop—which is filled with a wide variety of crazy animals—and find their way to paradise.

But flying (and escaping) is a lot harder than it looks. And sometimes the paradise we imagine isn’t as perfect in life as it seemed in our dreams. And sometimes the thing we dread most ends up being the best thing ever!

Birds of a feather

One of my favorite parts about The Simple Art of Flying are the poems Alastair makes up. They’re based on works by other famous poets and writers. Which was perfect, because April is also National Poetry Month. There’s also a lot of crazy antics that take place in the story that will make readers laugh out loud.

Most of the story comes from Alastair’s perspective, but we also get a glimpse into the human worlds of 11-year-old Fritz (future doctor and animal lover) and goofy Mrs. Plopky, a kind old lady who takes an interest in the lives of stubborn Alastair and young Fritz. Together, the three voices create a beautiful story that reminds readers that if we limit ourselves to old sayings like “Birds of a feather stick together” and “Stick with what you know,” we’ll miss out on a life far grander and more amazing than anything we could have possibly imagined.

The Simple Act of Flying is a 5-dark-chocolate-egg book for readers of all ages. It would be a fantastic read-aloud book for classrooms, as a family, or—if you prefer reading quietly in a corner like me—on your own.

I can’t wait to share another reading adventure with you! Until then, happy reading!

Note: No goods or services were exchanged for this review. The opinions belong solely to the reviewer.