The title caught my interest on this book. I was surprised to discover it was the second in a series, yet our library does not have the first book. I enjoyed the diverse characters, the theme of friendship that was threaded throughout, and will definitely have to get more Simply Sarah books in the library.
Curricular connections can be made with third and fourth grade language art and science. There is a poem near the end of the story that would be a good model for students to follow and write their own poetry; alternatively, reading the story and then researching pigeons to discover how nesting birds act and compare and contrast the findings with the portrayal in the story would be a fun science tie-in.