I will admit it. When I first saw Broadway Bird by Alex Timbers, I thought it was going to be, well, dumb. It had the look of trying to be clever and falling flat. Break a leg was not going to be a “good luck” wish, but a prophecy.
Boy was I wrong!
It was amusing, clever and while familiar (with its “keep trying, you will be a big star one day” theme), a little fresh. We have Louisa a sweet bird who knows she was meant for Broadway. After all she is naturally green, naturally can fly and naturally can sing (unlike the hot new show where the witch is played by an iguana who is well, green and can sing, but okay, she cannot naturally fly). So, what if Louisa is so small that they almost miss her at auditions? She has a big heart! Of course, we know Louisa will prevail. That she will get her moment among the stars.
Okay, maybe Alisa Coburn’s boldly bright colors and the street and buildings are covered in details that we expect, but if you know anything about Broadway there are several puns and little gems. You will see things that you know are 100 percent Broadway (we eat at Sardines/Sardi’s) and on the wall are the famous faces of the golden stage: Angela Lambs-bury. And Joel Greyhound. We can also find them withing the pages if you look closely. Now some I did not know who they were, but when I saw the Earth Kitt pun, I fell off my seat laughing! (Okay, not literally, but I really had to cut back on my guffawing!)
This is a sweet book that might not become a classic, but it will be one of fond memories as you read with your own “Broadway Birdie.”
