We can have artificial intelligence, limbs, and more for humans and we can even have a 3-D printed beak for a toucan. Don’t believe me? Then read all about it in Building a Beak: How a Toucan’s Rescue Inspired the World by Becca McMurdie and illustrated by Diana Hernández due in June 2025. (I had the opportunity to read it via an online reader copy).
Not to spoil things, but I will say that how a toucan got a life saving “nose job” is probably one of the coolest, funniest and wildest things I have learned about. (And I thought wombats being able to unalive a predator with its butt was cool.) The ins and outs, the troubles, the why this could have happened and how the people (once learning about the dangers the toucans were in) helped change policy, unfold. And this wasn’t in “the old days” or the earlier years of environmentalism or conservation, but within most of us reading this review lives.
The illustrations are cute, interesting, fit the tone and theme of things, being more “earthy” and not overly bold, but not lacking in color. They can have a “younger feeling” but are not childish. The details are busy but not overwhelming. I would have liked to see more real images, but the illustrations do allow it to be a bit more kid friendly. There is also a but more information on the actual bird and some simple things like what gender it was (they say she, but to sex a toucan is tricker than it sounds!). I am curious what “happened next” and wonder if the reason our heroic bird didn’t mate (when a mate was introduced) was due to gender incompatibly….and a lot more. So off I go to learn more about Grecia the toucan.