Suzanne Del Rizzo/Pajama Press
Birds on Wishbone Street
Wishbone Street is a special kind of street – and yes, there is one in Toronto – everyone seems to have come from somewhere else and all manner of languages are spoken. So Moe, a friendly and curious girl, is excited when she learns a new boy has moved in. He has come from Syria and is called Sami. Moe wants to get to know him. But Sami is shy and reluctant to talk although he shares Moe’s love of birds. Then winter arrives and the neighbourhood children enjoy playing in the snow at the local parkette. When they come across a scarlet cardinal stunned by the freezing cold, who comes to the bird’s rescue but Sami using his knowledge of looking after pigeons in Syria. By this simple act of kindness Sami begins to feel more at home.
Oakville author Suzanne Del Rizzo has certainly scored another triumph with this delightful story about kindness and how the simple act of rescuing a bird can strengthen the bonds of community as newcomers to this country share friendship and understanding.
Del Rizzo set out on a career in medical scientific research but left it when she began having children. The urge to get back to her childhood love of getting her hands dirty resurfaced, and thus began her new career, first as a children’s book illustrator and then progressing to writing her own stories and illustrating them herself.
Birds on Wishbone Street is chock-a-block with vivid and complex illustrations that delight the eye through her use of textured polymer clay (resembles plasticine), acrylic glaze and other mixed media. And when readers reach the end of the story of Moe and Sami there is more to come with the added treat of illustrated instructions on how to make bird suet treats and winter roosting pockets; a sure way to encourage young readers to also get their hands dirty!
Del Rizzo is no stranger to success. A previous picture book of hers, My Beautiful Birds, tells the tale of Sami’s experience as a refugee and touched readers around the world. It became a New York’s Notable Children’s Book, the winner of the Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children’s Literature, an honour book for the Middle East Book Award, a finalist for the Ezra Hack Keats’ Award as well as many others.
Del Rizzo lives in Oakville with her husband and four children.
