TFK Kid Reporter Maddie Martinez read Mystery on Macaw Mountain and interviewed its author, María José Fitzgerald. Read Maddie’s thoughts below.
Mystery on Macaw Mountain is set in Copán, Honduras. Twelve-year-old Nico is navigating his parents’ separation when his cousins arrive from the U.S. for a visit. Nico is also dealing with his mom’s annoying new friend—boyfriend?—Frank, who owns several prize macaws. The day before the birds are to be introduced to a new sanctuary, they disappear. It’s up to Nico; his sister, and their cousins to find the thief and bring the birds back where they belong.
Like María José Fitzgerald’s previous novel, Turtles of the Midnight Moon, Mystery on Macaw Mountain draws from Fitzgerald’s memories of her childhood in Honduras. “Just my relationship growing up with my cousins, my admiration of my uncle,” she told TFK.
The book was also inspired by the real-life restoration of the long-tailed, brightly colored scarlet macaw to the Copán Valley. “It actually did happen,” Fitzgerald says. “I was part of that and I was able to see [the birds’] release.”
Mystery on Macaw Mountain is part mystery, part cultural heritage, part family drama, and part comedy, all of which add up to an incredible novel. It emphasizes the importance of family bonds and of accepting that not everything is in your control. This story will touch the hearts of readers all around the world. I recommend it for kids who like mysteries and books about family, and nature.
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