cover image Mrs. Fitz's Flamingos

Mrs. Fitz's Flamingos

Kevin McCloskey. Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, $14 (1pp) ISBN 978-0-688-10474-0

``There are many beautiful views in Brooklyn. The view from Mrs. Fitz's apartment window isn't one of them.'' This genial, white-haired lady decides to do something to brighten her bleak urban outlook. She buys two pink plastic flamingos at a sidewalk sale and brings them home to her fire escape. She keeps adding to the flock until the fire inspector tells her that her birds are violating a safety code, so she moves the burgeoning brood to a neighboring roof. Mrs. Fitz is seized with angst when a wrecking crew closes in on the site of her lofty aviary, but as their ball delivers its first blow, the wary flamingos take flight and head for (where else?) Florida. Aided by genial, cartoony artwork, a nice balance between nonsense and reality characterizes this goofy story. The sight of hot pink flamingos soaring over the rooftops of New York is curiously exhilarating. Ages 4-up. (Apr.)