Mystery on Macaw Mountain

Birds of a feather solve crime together in this exciting middle grade mystery! When eight endangered macaws are stolen from a bird sanctuary in the Mayan ruins of Copán, four sleuthing cousins must find out who took them--and why.

Nico and his cousins don't have much in common, but they're all excited to visit the Mayan ruins at Copán and witness the release of the scarlet macaws. Nearly extinct in Honduras, eight of these majestic birds are about to be introduced to a brand new bird sanctuary. But on the eve of the big day the birds are stolen!

Who could have planned this bewildering bird heist--and why? Nico and his cousins are determined to find out--and anyone could be a suspect: poachers, developers, Mama's annoying novio . . . The investigation will take them from bustling downtown Copán to the mist-shrouded ruins of Macaw Mountain, uniting the cousins as they unravel a plot far stranger than any of them could have imagined.

Author: María José Fitzgerald
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published: 03/10/2026
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.77lbs
Size: 6.76h x 7.58w x 1.06d
ISBN: 9780593488744
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2026
Booklist 03/01/2026

About the Author
María José Fitzgerald is a teacher and children's author. Her favorite stories usually include animals, friendship, family, and magic. She grew up snorkeling and hiking in her homeland of Honduras, where nature and culture nourished her soul. Her debut novel, Turtles of the Midnight Moon won the Green Earth Book Award and was named a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, among other honors. When she's not writing, you can find her reading, walking her dogs, or maybe out on a family mountain-bike ride.