Torres, Jennifer. Alight: How Urban Parrots Found New Places to Belong. Molly Magnell, Illus. Atheneum, 06/2026. [36]pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-66593-877-8. GRADES Preschool–3. ADDITIONAL.
Using crisp, lively text, Torres describes parrots in the Los Angeles area, including how and why they came from Mexico to make this area their home after their natural habitat was destroyed. The brightly-colored digital illustrations show parrots clearly in the urban environment but only do a serviceable job at depicting people. The book ends with a detailed author’s note on urban parrots, a map, definitions of five different urban parrots, and information on some of the Southern California landmarks depicted. Unfortunately, despite including more information about parrots across California in the back matter, there is no mention of the wild parrots in the San Francisco area, which are a notable tourist attraction (even though technically they are parakeets). Includes California-specific content.
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool