The Boy, the Bird and the Coffin Maker

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.

About the Author :
Matilda Woods was born in 1989 and has been writing stories for the last seven years. She grew up in a small town near Canberra, Australia and splits her time between writing middle grade fiction and working as a youth worker. When she was younger she loved reading fantasy novels but now writes in the genre of magical realism. The idea for The Boy, the Bird and the Coffin Maker, her first published novel, came to her one evening while out running with her dog, Lily. From this speck of an idea grew a tale that spans one year in the lives of two people: a frightened boy named Tito Bonito and a lonely old coffin maker named Alberto. Together, they dream of a future where they can both be free and then, with courage, set sail to find it. Stephanie Foxley’s career as a radio and television presenter spans over 25 years, beginning in Hong Kong, where she also produced and voiced a number of books for teaching English as a foreign language. In Australia, Stephanie was a regular presenter of news and current affairs programs broadcast to Asia and the Pacific and was also a regular reader for ABC's radio news in Victoria. She now enjoys working as an audiobook narrator and as a Civil Marriage Celebrant.

Review :
'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 ...' 'Woods has penned a gentle fable, one rich in hope that promotes the strength of kindness.' '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.' 'A lyrical and melancholy tale [filled with] atmospheric writing.'