Angelo
From the creator ofThe  New Way Things Work,Castle, andBlack and White, comes a  poignant tale of a very curious friendship. Angelo is an old Italian craftsman  who restores facades of Roman buildings. Sweeping away feathers and twigs left  "by generations of thoughtless pigeons" one day, Angelo comes face to beak with  his nemesis. This pigeon isn't looking so good, though, and in spite of himself,  Angelo takes her home and brings her back to health, grumpily commenting, "Mamma  mia! I restore walls, not pigeons." It's not long before this lonely old man  grows attached to the bird, though, and makes a touching, lasting gesture to her  in the final hours before his death.David Macaulay's unusual story is funny and touching, if jarring at times, as  when the narrative makes inexplicable leaps with no transition. He uses his  familiar illustrative style to greatest effect in depicting the clutter of Roman  rooftops and close-ups of crumbling walls and sculpture's toes. Also lovely are  the images of twigs and feathers that frame the book, scattered even across the  dedication and copyright pages. (Ages 6 to 8)--Emilie Coulter