Originally published in Spain: El dia en que me converti un pajaro
A simple but sophisticated international title for your collection.

The first day of school a little boy falls in love with Sylvia, the girl that sits in front of him. The story is told as the picture show another story – the construction of the bird taking place. Our protagonist has learned that Sylvia is wildly into birds, so he has decided to become one to get her to notice him. He wants to stand out, as a bird, even though it is hard to climb trees, to keep his balance playing soccer and to even walk. He doesn’t care that others are giggling at him.  Matter of fact, nothing else seems important. All that he cares about is Sylvia.

A sweet, innocent tale of first love. Guridi is clever in use of minimalist drawings and sparse use of color set against a beige background. This allows the reader to really focus in on the story. 

Wearing the bird costume constantly has caused it to breakdown to the point where we see the boy’s face. This is the moment when Sylvia notices the boy. This is a great scene to open the discussion of loving others for who they really are and about just being ourselves.

A good read aloud for older grade levels too.