I am a Toucan

In I Am a Toucan: Learning to Toss My Fruit, part of the I Am a Wild Bird series by Kimberlee Everson, a young keel-billed toucan named Pico finds his rhythm high in the green canopy. In a warm, first-person voice, Pico learns to flick sweet fruit into the air and catch it with his rainbow-light bill-moving from clumsy frustration to calm focus and the quiet joy of a clean catch. Alongside Pico's rainforest world, a child named Mateo turns his living room into a make-believe jungle, echoing the toucan's careful practice. The story gently honors big feelings-pride, worry, patience, relief-while inviting children to notice sounds, colors, and small movements that make the forest feel alive. Real toucan facts are woven through the pages and gathered in the back matter: how a bill with tiny air spaces stays strong and light, why zygodactyl feet (two toes forward, two back) grip so well, and how a long, narrow tongue helps guide fruit. With lyrical lines, sensory detail, and a fact page featuring a realistic bird image, this read-aloud supports curiosity, observation, and confidence for ages 5-10.