Two Little Birds
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Two little birds hatch and grow until one day, they see an amazing sight: hundreds of birds, all flying together in one direction. They decide to join in, and so begins an amazing and sometimes dangerous journey that they never could have imagined. Eventually they return home - and the cycle starts over again.This simple story, nicely complemented by warm and colorful illustrations, subtly celebrates the wonder of migration. Two Little Birds is a perfect book for introducing young children to natures small miracles. From School Library Journal PreS-Gr 1-Two little birds set out on the adventure of migration when they see the sky full of birds heading south-but once theyve flown "beyond all they knew," they endure storms, explore unknown seas, and fly for hours and hours until they arrive at a beautiful place, full of the "flutter and chatter of many birds." After a while, they dream again of home, and travel back, where they make their own nests and start "something new" with mates of their own. However, the story spends so much time on the journey and the arrival that the birds longing for home and "the songs their father taught them" seem a bit forced. The luminous colors, winsome expressions, and glorious textures of DePalmas mixed-media collage illustrations round out the spare, lyrical text.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD From Booklist *Starred Review* Two eggs lie in a nest until they hatch and two little birds emerge. Soon sporting yellow feathers, “The little birds did / what little birds do. / They fed, / they frolicked, / and they grew.” One night, a great flock of birds flies overhead. The two birds join them, flying far beyond familiar sights, through a thunderstorm, and across a sea. Though the two little birds lag behind, they keep flying southward until they reach their tropical destination. Eventually, they fly home, build nests, and have eggs of their own. An appended author’s note identifies the birds as orchard orioles migrating from the northeastern U.S. to the Yucatán Peninsula. Variations on the lines quoted above form a unifying refrain throughout the lively, graceful text. Like the writing, the mixed-media collage artwork is strong, delicate, and precise. While there’s no sentimentality here, children will feel the fatigue of the droopy little bird flapping its aching wings to stay aloft over the sea. The vivid pictures vary from the mottled, rain-stitched clouds during the storm to the verdant, tranquil oasis across the sea. The succinct text is accessible to young children, making this a great picture book to remember when teachers request stories of migrating birds. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan Review 2014 American Booksellers Association Best Books for Children Catalog About the Author Mary Newell DePalma has written and illustrated severalbooks for children, including The Strange Egg(Houghton Mifflin) and A Grand Old Tree(Scholastic), which received the IRA/CBC Childrens Choiceaward. She has also illustrated several books for Eerdmans:Swimming Sal, Now It Is Winter, and Now It Is Summer. Mary lives in Massachusetts. Visit her website at www.marynewelldepalma.com.
Two little birds hatch and grow until one day, they see an amazing sight: hundreds of birds, all flying together in one direction. They decide to join in, and so begins an amazing and sometimes dangerous journey that they never could have imagined. Eventually they return home - and the cycle starts over again.This simple story, nicely complemented by warm and colorful illustrations, subtly celebrates the wonder of migration. Two Little Birds is a perfect book for introducing young children to natures small miracles. From School Library Journal PreS-Gr 1-Two little birds set out on the adventure of migration when they see the sky full of birds heading south-but once theyve flown "beyond all they knew," they endure storms, explore unknown seas, and fly for hours and hours until they arrive at a beautiful place, full of the "flutter and chatter of many birds." After a while, they dream again of home, and travel back, where they make their own nests and start "something new" with mates of their own. However, the story spends so much time on the journey and the arrival that the birds longing for home and "the songs their father taught them" seem a bit forced. The luminous colors, winsome expressions, and glorious textures of DePalmas mixed-media collage illustrations round out the spare, lyrical text.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD From Booklist *Starred Review* Two eggs lie in a nest until they hatch and two little birds emerge. Soon sporting yellow feathers, “The little birds did / what little birds do. / They fed, / they frolicked, / and they grew.” One night, a great flock of birds flies overhead. The two birds join them, flying far beyond familiar sights, through a thunderstorm, and across a sea. Though the two little birds lag behind, they keep flying southward until they reach their tropical destination. Eventually, they fly home, build nests, and have eggs of their own. An appended author’s note identifies the birds as orchard orioles migrating from the northeastern U.S. to the Yucatán Peninsula. Variations on the lines quoted above form a unifying refrain throughout the lively, graceful text. Like the writing, the mixed-media collage artwork is strong, delicate, and precise. While there’s no sentimentality here, children will feel the fatigue of the droopy little bird flapping its aching wings to stay aloft over the sea. The vivid pictures vary from the mottled, rain-stitched clouds during the storm to the verdant, tranquil oasis across the sea. The succinct text is accessible to young children, making this a great picture book to remember when teachers request stories of migrating birds. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan Review 2014 American Booksellers Association Best Books for Children Catalog About the Author Mary Newell DePalma has written and illustrated severalbooks for children, including The Strange Egg(Houghton Mifflin) and A Grand Old Tree(Scholastic), which received the IRA/CBC Childrens Choiceaward. She has also illustrated several books for Eerdmans:Swimming Sal, Now It Is Winter, and Now It Is Summer. Mary lives in Massachusetts. Visit her website at www.marynewelldepalma.com.