Mrs. Fitz's Flamingos

McCloskey, Kevin

ISBN 10: 0688104754 ISBN 13: 9780688104757

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1992

Synopsis

In a desperate attempt to enhance the view out her kitchen window, Mrs. Fitz covers the roof of a warehouse with a flock of plastic pink flamingos and wonders what she will do with them when the wrecking crew arrives to demolish the warehouse.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 1-- Mrs. Fitz is a resourceful senior citizen who improves the view from the window of her Brooklyn apartment by affixing dozens of pink plastic flamingos, first to her fire escape, and then to the tar paper roof of the warehouse across the street. When a wrecker's ball demolishes the building, the flamingos save themselves by taking flight. Mrs. Fitz's view is improved by the construction of a new city park, but she fondly recalls the sight of the pink birds. An undistinguished text is supported by garish cartoon illustrations. The element of fantasy, when the fuchsia lawn ornaments fly south, is not foreshadowed or well integrated into the story, making it simply confusing. The book lacks the underlying emotion and universality of Yorink's Hey, Al (Farrar, 1986), in which the infusion of fantasy into the drab life of a city dweller is masterfully portrayed. --Kate McClelland, Perrot Memorial Library, Greenwich, CT-
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

"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.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0688104754
• ISBN 13: 9780688104757
• Binding: Library Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32