Pine and the Winter Sparrow

by Alexis York Lumbard, Beatriz Vidal (Illustrator), Robert Lewis (Foreword by)

Overview

Have you ever wondered why pine trees stay green all winter long and don’t lose their leaves like other trees? According to an ancient legend attributed to the Cherokee Indians, it was a simple act of kindness towards an injured little bird that earned pine trees this very honor. Retold by award-winning author Alexis York Lumbard, this story invites readers to experience a world where trees and birds speak and interact with each other, and which shows us that no act of kindness and sharing goes unrewarded. Featuring beautiful paintings by multiple award-winning illustrator Beatriz Vidal, you will never look at pine trees in the same way again!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781937786472
Publisher:	World Wisdom
Publication date:	04/09/2015
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	28
File size:	16 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Alexis York Lumbard is the author of the award-winning book The Conference of the Birds (illustrated by Demi). Her most recent titles, Angels (illustrated by Flavia Weedn) and Everyone Prays (illustrated by Alireza Sadeghian), have been lauded by the critics since their release. A busy mother of three, she was motivated to write by her children, and the desire to create high quality stories to inspire young readers. She lives with her husband and three daughters in Natick, MA.

Beatriz Vidal is an award-winning Argentinean painter, illustrator, and teacher. Her work has appeared in well-known magazines such as The New York Times, Woman’s Day, and The New Yorker. Vidal won the prestigious Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award for her title A Library for Juana (written by Pat Mora), while her books Rainbow Crow (written by Nancy Van Laan) and Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (written by Verna Aardema) were Reading Rainbow selections. Her artwork has featured in numerous exhibitions around the world, including The International Exhibition of Illustration for Children in Sarmede, Italy, and The Society of Illustrators in New York. Beatriz Vidal divides her time between Cordoba in Argentina and New York City.

Editorial Reviews

2014-11-04
The evergreen-ness of the pine tree is explained in a tale that's possibly Cherokee but definitely Native American. Sparrow has an injured wing but nevertheless thanks the Creator each day with his song. He cannot fly south with his family, though, as winter approaches. He seeks shelter first with Oak, then Maple, Elm and Aspen, but each tree rejects him, quite rudely. Pine, however, welcomes Sparrow, with an apology for his sticky branches and needlelike foliage, and tucks the little bird into a high, sheltered branch. When his family returns in the spring, Sparrow's wing has healed. The Creator calls a council, admonishing the trees that had so much but would not share, proclaiming that only Pine will be green all year: "Pine, your gift to Sparrow was a gift to Me." The language is simple, with an unornamented oral quality. Vidal has made effective patterns of birds and leaves that fill the pages as Sparrow goes from tree to tree looking for a way to survive the winter. The leaves of each tree are bright and recognizable in their autumn dress. A foreword by storyteller Robert Lewis, of Cherokee, Navajo and Apache lineage, and an author's note add background. A pleasing pourquoi tale. (Picture book/folktale. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews