The Boy, The Bird and the Coffin Maker

Allora is a small town so close to the ocean that fish fly out of the tumultuous sea; it's a town so small that secrets are impossible to keep.

Alberto is the town's coffin maker, living alone near the graveyard. His loneliness soon ends when Tito and his magical bird enter the coffin maker's home. While Alberto suspects Tito has his own secrets, he doesn't realise how serious they are until a stranger comes to Allora looking for the boy. To keep Tito safe, Alberto must hide him from the town's prying eyes.

This is a beautifully written debut about recovering from grief and finding hope through an unlikely friendship. The writing itself is a gorgeous lyrical prose laced with magical realisim, like a Gabriel García Márquez story for younger readers.