The Boy and the Rescue Pigeon

Adam eagerly anticipates Saturdays with Grandpa, and today brings a special surprise: two pigeons will soon inhabit the old wooden aviary at the garden's end. Before the birds arrive, Adam and Grandpa thoroughly clean the cage, fill the feeders with seeds, set out fresh water, and scatter grit on the floor. Grandpa explains that a clean, safe home keeps pigeons healthy and happy, and Adam begins to grasp the amount of care the birds require.

When Grandpa's friend delivers a cardboard box, Adam meets Pip, a plump grey rescue pigeon with a blue leg band, and Coco, a shy creamy-white pigeon with brown speckles. Adam learns to open the box gently and to sit still so the birds can approach him. Each morning he hurries to the aviary to feed the pigeons, check their water, and spread fresh straw, listening as Grandpa describes the pigeon hole and the remarkable way pigeons remember familiar places and find their way home. This gentle tale by Jane MEADOW can be read on Kids Tale Book.