When a “flamboyance” of flamingos moves in to the neighborhood, the other groups of birds—a gaggle of geese, a dole of doves, a charm of finches, a pandemonium of parrots, a scream of swifts, and an unkindness of ravens—worry about the impact of the colorful new neighbors. They would disrupt the peace! They’re pink! They have long necks! They’re too flamboyant!
The neighbors send a squadron of pelicans to patrol by day, and a watch of nightingales to stand guard by night. The band of jays finally decides the neighborhood needs to act. With a pride of peacocks in the lead, followed by a waddle of penguins, a gulp of cormorants, and a mob of emus ready for a fight, they arrive at the flamingos’ home. Luckily, the chime of wrens urges calm, and the wisdom of owls has brought a plate of algae for the newcomers. The flamingoes invite all of the birds in to their welcome party. The other birds then offer thoughts like “They are lovely,” “Differences don’t have to be scary,” and “Didn’t we jump to conclusions?” While a little pedantic here, the light tone and fun image of partying birds keep things from cloying.
The lesson could be applied to any group of perceived outsiders—but the flamingoes’ “flamboyance” and their rainbow-hued scarves and accessories make this most applicable as a queer (specifically gay male) analogy, as author Michael Genhart explains in an afterward, where he also discusses the importance of talking with children about assumptions and stereotypes that can lead to excluding behavior. Back matter also includes a further listing of names for various groups of birds.
While I am often skeptical of animal analogies (human LGBTQ characters sometimes offer truer representation and a clearer message), this book is so delightful that it easily won me over. Genhart uses the names of the bird groups to inform their actions (the unkindness of ravens is indeed unkind), and allows alliteration to ascend (“a venue of vultures ventured over”). The witty wordplay, fun bird-group names, and Tony Neal’s adorable avian illustrations balance the serious message. This is a winning addition to any bookshelf or library.
