"Children flock to Miss Matilda at her bench in the park. She is the trusted fixer of broken toys and umbrellas. But she is also called on to help mend problems of the heart-those with broad meaning for kids (a boy who misses his mom; a girl who wants her dad to come home; a child who longs for a friend or doesn't want a new teacher). When Leo brings his problem to Miss Mathilda, she realizes it needs more than a simple fix. She sings him a lullaby, offering all the compassion and comfort she can. Later, after the loss of her beloved bird, when it's her turn to need the same, Leo leads the pack to help her. The children come together, singing a beautiful song and sharing drawings of her bird, poems of hope and messages of love. This is a deeply touching story that explores sadness and death-very balanced in the story and art by life, hope, human connection and joy. It's a story of community, love and friendship, and coming together through music and art. Miss Matilda reaches out to children through music, as that's what touches her heart. The children reach out to her with their drawings, poems and songs. Stunning, mixed-media art by award-winning illustrator Irene Luxbacher brings the emotions and scenes to life in evocative detail."--