Hey, Friends!

I caught wind of a brand new book by a brand new author a little while back, and I’ve been biting at my claws waiting for it to release so I could read it. I’m excited to say, the wait was worth it!

If you like fairy tale like stories then I think you’re really going to like this one. (Note: There’s no fairies or elves in this book, but there is a very special sort of bird and a magical island awaiting to be discovered!)

A brand new story that feels like it’s been passed down through the ages

The village of Allora is a magical town, or so it’s said. It’s a place where the fish fly out of the sea and straight onto your plate. It’s a place so bright and colorful that artists come from around the world to add to its beauty. At the end of the winding road lies the furthest house, which was once the most colorful of them all. Here lives old Alberto Cavello. The coffin maker.

Alberto Cavello wasn’t always a coffin maker. As a young man he spent his days building beautiful furniture for the people of his town. His evenings were spent making toys for his three children. 

Then came the purple spot. And with it a plague that took anyone it touched.

Alberto’s life changed for the first time the day he carved not one, but five coffins. He didn’t he know then, but thirty years later he would give the coffin he carved for himself to a stranger—and on that day his life would change once again.

The perfect addition for a young reader’s library

The Boy, the Bird, and the Coffin Maker reminds me of one of the stories in my favorite book of fairy tales. Author Matilda Woods gives us a magical narration filled with everything one would expect from this kind of story—including beautiful illustrations. From the silver foil on the cover to the blue-inked borders around each the story to the full-page pictures that take us even deeper into the story, this book has it all!

The Boy, the Bird, and the Coffin Maker is a short book at 190 pages. The chapters are brief and are written so readers as young as eight can enjoy reading it on their own. I also think it would make a good bedtime story. Even though the book touches on some sad things, there’s nothing scary or frightening about it.

This is the first book by Matilda Woods and I’m happy to give it 5 whole dark chocolate eggs! I’m excited to see what stories she shares with us in the years to come. I hope they look and feel like this one!

Ok, friends. I’m off to find the land of flying fish. Maybe I’ll even challenge one to a race. See you next time!

Note: No goods or services were exchanged for this review. The opinions expressed are the reviewer’s own.