As he works repairing the facade of a church in Rome, the last thing Angelo wants or needs is an injured pigeon, but there she is, tucked into the detailed stone work, unable to move. Reluctantly he takes her home. It is, as has been said before, the start of a beautiful friendship. Man and pigeon each have something to give the other. Angelo offers tender first aid, his favorite songs, and restorative weekend trips into the country. The pigeon, eventually called Sylvia, provides a little lunchtime song and dance, and later coos encouragement and fans Angelo with her feathers as the work becomes more and more difficult for the aging artisan. David Macaulay artfully balances genuine warmth with humor that is outrageous yet wholly grounded in the context of this beguiling, satisfying story. It is a story that will delight, and that offers the opportunity to think about compassion, and about the importance of an artist’s work, done with love and care. (Ages 6-10)

High above the rooftops of Rome, Angelo begins his work restoring the façade of a once glorious church. There, among the sticks and feathers, he discovers a wounded bird. Angelo becomes the bird’s reluctant savior. As the church nears completion, Angelo begins to worry about the future of his avian friend. “What will become of you? Where will you go . . . where will you . . . live?” he asks her. Through his artistry as a master craftsman he answers the questions for his humble friend and assures that he, himself will not be forgotten.