Almost halfway in and still waiting for something to happen. Also, why doesn't Pablo go to school? And the audiobook is painful. I really wish a professional reader/actress was doing the narration. It might help. I have had to request this to read, instead of listening, because I'm not sure I can listen much longer.

A perfectly sweet middle novel with hints of folklore and magical realism. I was trying to decide where to shelve this one at work, so I decided I just had to read it to get a sense.

Sweet, heartwarming, and sometimes funny—the “Committee,” in particular, was quite entertaining.

If you read Beyond the Bright Sea, you should read this book. Another story about the search for identity and the true meaning of family. Another baby washed ashore. Another mystery of who and why and how. Plus, a mythical parrot and stray dog.

"Sounds exist in vibrations...Humans, with their unexceptional ears, could hear a sound at only the moment it was made, and thereafter only in memory. But not the remarkable ears of a Seafaring Parrot. For them, all sound lived on for all eternity. ....at any given moment, a Seafarer could hear and reproduce all the sounds ever made."

So goes the legend of the Seafaring Parrot, which Pablo has grown up hearing, especially since his island thrives on tourism based on the legend. Pablo and Birdy, his ever present side-kick, live with Emmanuel. Nearly Ten years ago, Pablo washed ashore on the island in a baby pool with Birdy closely guarding him. Sure, his island family and friends are kind to him, but Pablo longs to know the mystery of where he came from and exactly what type of bird Birdy is. One night, Pablo hears a mysterious voice, and this starts a chain of events that hopefully will shed some light on his mystery. Join Pablo and Birdy as they stroll through the streets of Isla, dodge a crazy crowd of chatty birds known as "the Committee" and uncover mysteries.

I liked this gentle story of a boy, Pablo, and the beautiful and mysterious parrot named Birdy who watched out for him on the island Isla. Despite predicting much of the action, I thought the characters were charming, including the hilarious Committee of parrots, budgie and rooster that wanders the town commenting on everything they see. Plus, Ana Juan’s illustrations were lovely, and heightened the otherworldliness of Birdy and the atmosphere of Isla.

Sometimes the search for identity depends upon a willingness to change.

Pablo already feels change coming as he approaches his tenth not-birthday--the tenth anniversary of his washing to shore as a baby in an improvised raft, watched over by an unusual parrot. His adopted father and the community of adults that stand in as his family aren't changing, he is. He hasn't told anyone yet except Birdy, who never leaves his side, but Pablo is no longer satisfied with the way things have always been. He wants to know more about who he is and where he comes from. That dissatisfaction will lead him in directions he never expected.

McGhee's invented island community and story feature birds prominently. They are pivotal characters, sources of humor, and part of the book's slight magical realism. So too with the faintly cartoonish human characters. This is a more introspective tale than many, quietly--though satisfyingly--enchanting and fun.

Lovely, but I feel like it's one of those juvenile books that's really written for adults.

Even though I felt like I knew where the story was headed, I enjoyed this charming tale about a boy and the bird who watched out for him.