About this item
Nico was new, and nervous about going to school. Everyone knew what to do and where to go, but Nico felt a little lost.So, he did what he loved to do:Watched the insectsSat in the grassAnd most importantly... befriended the birds.Before he knew it, Nico was known as BIRD BOY. But Nico didn't mind. Soon, he made one friend, then two, as the other kids learned to appreciate Nico for who he was. Before long, Nico learned he could be completely, delighfully, himself. This dreamy story will encourage all readers to express who they are unapologetically.
About the Author
Matthew Burgess is an Assistant Professor at Brooklyn College. He is the author of a poetry collection, Slippers for Elsewhere (UpSet Press, 2014) , and four children's books: Enormous Smallness: A Story of E. E. Cummings (Enchanted Lion Books, 2015) , The Unbudgeable Curmudgeon (Knopf, 2019) , Drawing on Walls: A Story of Keith Haring (ELB, 2020) , and The Bear and The Moon (Chronicle, 2020) . He has edited an anthology of visual art and writing titled Dream Closet: Meditations on Childhood Space (Secretary Press, 2016) , as well as a collection of essays titled Spellbound: The Art of Teaching Poetry (Teachers & Writers Collaborative, 2019) . Several books are forthcoming, Make Meatballs Sing: The Life & Art of Corita Kent (ELB, 2021) , and Bird Boy (Knopf, 2021) . A poet-in-residence in New York City public schools since 2001, Matthew also serves as a contributing editor of Teachers & Writers Magazine.
