Baby Wren and the Great Gift

January 18, 2016
The natural glories of a canyon are on full display as a newborn wren tries to understand her place in the world. No parents are around, so the wren takes in her surroundings: Lloyd-Jones (The House That’s Your Home) repeatedly references “monarchs in the milkweed,” rustling switch grass, and a “glittering river” below. Several animals are nearby, and the wren wishes it could dive like a kingfisher, cartwheel like ring-tailed cats, or brave a storm like two eagles. In the end, the wren’s ability to bear witness to the beauty around her (“what she saw couldn’t fit inside her/ it bumped into her heart/ it dazzled in her eyes/ it pushed on her throat”) and to convert that appreciation into a praise-song of gratitude reveals that she is exactly who she ought to be. Lovely, precise detail characterizes Corace’s (Telephone) watercolor-and-pencil portraits of the animals and their habitat; her pale pink skies, craggy golden canyon walls, and wispy grasses make it easy to understand why the wren is moved to sing. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

June 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 1-This gentle read-aloud proves that everyone has a special gift to share as a baby wren leaves her nest to explore the world. Venturing out into the beautiful canyon, a kingfisher invites the wren to go fishing, ring-tailed cats ask her to join them in cartwheels, sunfish call to splash in the river, and eagles ask her to soar high above the storm clouds. But the baby wren cannot dive, do cartwheels, swim, or soar, compelling her to predictably ask why she cannot do these things. Lloyd-Jones's lyrical text follows a comfortable pattern of wren's unanswered question to each of her new friends ("Why aren't I a sunfish...so I could swim and splash, too?) always followed by the refrain "But no one answered./Monarchs played in the milkweed./A breeze rustled in the switch grass./And the glittering river ran on." Corace's fine-lined and brightly colored drawings show the scenic details of the wren's surroundings and the spectacular sunset as she discovers the magnificent call deep in her chest. Finding her special gift, the wren fills the canyon with a birdsong of thanks for all to hear. VERDICT Lovely and lyrical, this is a comforting story to be shared at storytime, bedtime, or anytime children are looking for reassurance of their special gifts.-Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2016
A little bird explores her environment, meeting other creatures with special talents before discovering her own. The baby wren is first seen alone in her nest, but she soon hops out and meets other birds, animals, and fish. To the tiny bird, the soaring kingfisher and eagles, splashing sunfish, and cartwheeling ring-tailed cats are amazing and accomplished, doing spectacular things that astonish a naive little bird. In classic find-your-own-talent fashion, the baby wren is then so inspired by a glowing, pink sunrise that she is moved to sing her own song, which can be heard all over the canyon. The lyrical text uses rich, poetic imagery along with judicious repetition to create a memorable setting for the little bird's exploratory journey. A large format and double-page-spread illustrations in jewel tones make the canyon setting appealing, though the bird is sometimes dwarfed by the expansive vistas. When the baby wren finds her own voice, she offers a big, open-ended thank you for everything in her world. There is no overt religious content in the text, though there is a short quotation on the front cover flap referring to prayer and a brief quote on the back cover flap from Martin Luther about the power of song. An attractive visual presentation complements an engaging text for a fresh interpretation of an old theme. (Picture book. 4-8)

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