Taking in all the beauty as he flies over the fields and forests, a Starling wants to sing an ode of the wonderful things he sees. Wanting to make sure he won’t forget anything, the Starling asks other birds to make lists of all the things he should remember.
Birds
Corner
A crow finds itself alone in an empty corner in this (almost wordless) picture book. With only thoughts for company, the crow begins to pass the time by filling the empty space with furnishings and hobbies. But even after all the decorating, which includes a growing plant and wall-to-ceiling art, there is still something missing. Finally, the crow adds a window and discovers the need to connect with the world outside. The need for friendship.
Two Green Birds
A child in Brazil experiences the beauty and wonder of the natural world, and comes to understand his role within it.
Grandpa And The Kingfisher
Life affirming and lyrical, this beautiful picture book celebrates the awesome power of nature and the circle of life. Over the course of a year, a young child and their dog watch kingfishers by the river with Grandpa. As spring turns to summer and autumn to winter, the kingfishers raise a family, while Grandpa teaches his grandchild about the power of nature and the circle of life.
Juanita
Juanita takes the dove she received for her fourth birthday to the Old Mission Church for the blessing of the animals.
Akpa’s Journey
After thick-billed murre Akpa emerges from his egg, high on an Arctic cliff, he soon learns that he must embark on a long migration before he is even able to fly. Flinging himself into the icy water with his father to guide him, Akpa must swim 1,000 kilometres of his journey south before he is able to finally fly the final leg of his journey. Adult male murres are also unable to fly during this time of the year, due to their changing feathers, so father and son must navigate south on the choppy ocean waves, meeting new and unfamiliar creatures along the way.
Duck’s Backyard
A funny and philosophical story in which a duck with a limp and a blind chicken search for adventure and answers to some of life’s big questions.
A Dream Of Birds
Sara has a thing for birds. They remind her of her grandfather, who loved birds, and the wonderful show the creatures would put on in his yard each day—like a cloud of colorful flowers carried by the wind.
As Sara walks to school in her island town, she longs for the freedom of those birds. Then she spots a new birdhouse full of parakeets in someone’s yard. Sara feels drawn to them and unable to forget them. So what happens the next time, when she finds the door to the birdhouse unlocked?
With poetic language and beautiful art, this story set on the African island of Mauritius brings to life a little girl’s deep love of nature, her brash but well-meaning choice, and ultimately, her redemption and dream for a better world.
Night Lunch
Noses sniff the air as mouthwatering smells waft down city streets, luring growling bellies to the Night Owl. Inside this elegant, horse-drawn establishment, a feathery cook works the grill, serving up tasty dishes for shift-workers and operagoers alike: a mince pie for Fox, a ham sandwich for Badger and puddings for little Possums. Mouse, a poor street sweeper, watches as the line of customers swells, ever hopeful that someone will drop a morsel of food — but Owl’s cooking is far too delicious for more than a crumb to be found. As the evening’s service winds down, weary Owl spots trembling Mouse. Has he found his own night lunch, or will he invite this small sweeper inside for a midnight feast for two?
The Woman Who Turned Children Into Birds
“Go on. Be happy. Off you fly!” A charming tale from a beloved storyteller and award-winning illustrator urges readers of all ages to take chances and find joy. Nanty Solo is new in town and claims she can turn children into birds. Terrified parents forbid the idea, but the children want to fly-they want it very much-and they do. One by one, they approach Nanty Solo. One by one, they are transformed until the sky over town teems with rooks and goldfinches, parakeets and sparrows. The adults take one look and cry, “Get out of that sky this very minute!” But the sight of their offspring-set free to soar, hope, and explore-soon has the grown-ups wondering what it might be like to have wings to fly and a beak to sing.
The lilting, dreamy tale, told in David Almond’s inimitable voice and playfully illustrated, assures us it’s never too late to say yes to life.