The Bird That Couldn't Fly

Quincy Quill is an adorable baby bird eager to chirp and ready to fly. But things aren't happening as quickly as he would like. Will he learn to chirp? Is he ever going to be able to fly?

This charming illustrated children's book by author Raquel Arrechea answers those questions, and teaches children the value of perseverance, as Quincy learns that everyone, even a baby bird, does things when the time is just right.

Written when she was nine years old, Arrechea brings her story about growing up and taking flight to children everywhere.

Our history is not to be lost; it is to be treasured by future generations. This book is about a family, its ancestors, and the events that shape their lives. It is a collection of the stories of the Arrechea and Crespo families and is my effort to capture my family's past through conversations, letters, and documents. The stories are comprised of oral histories transcribed from recorded tape conversations and interviews. I hope the richness of the Spanish interviews has not been lost in my translation to English. Our roots reach into China, Africa, Spain, and Cuba. The descendants are the narrators of this story and through their voices there are stories ranging from survival during political warfare to the recollections of family celebrations that are now traditions. I have tried to stay as true as I possibly can to their voices. The purpose of this book is to bring together the lives of my family and shed light on the questions that, three generations later, I once had. The days of sitting around the fireplace, baking, cooking, and sharing family legacies are disappearing. Although our ancestry is far from our physical reach, it is well preserved within us. 

Arrechea contributes to this anthology of women writers the poem “There Once Was a Time”, which reflects on the profound influence of the generations that came before her and acknowledges the power this foundation has had upon her life.