Little Bird

by Cynthia Voigt

Overview

“A sweet and uplifting read.”—Publishers Weekly

Celebrated Newbery Medal–winner Cynthia Voigt introduces Little Bird, a tiny crow with a big imagination and an even bigger heart, in this timeless read-alone and read-aloud just right for the young middle grade audience. Little Bird features black-and-white illustrations by Newbery Medalist Lynne Rae Perkins throughout.

When a wild fisher cat attacks their nest, Little Bird and her flock are devastated. Not only does the fisher cat harm the fledglings, but it also makes off with the shiny pendant that the superstitious crows rely on for good luck. Little Bird believes that she can find the lucky pendant and return it to the nest before disaster strikes. The other crows aren’t so sure—after all, Little Bird is so little and undependable and meek.

But with the help of some new friends—including a very funny goat—Little Bird journeys through forests and over lakes and fields, challenging her wits and survival skills along the way. The crow who returns home is wiser, braver, kinder, and ready—at last—to spread her wings.

Newbery Medal–winner Cynthia Voigt’s gentle humor, sense of fun and adventure, and delightful main character sing off the page in this timely short novel about bravery and friendship, illustrated by Newbery Medal–winner Lynne Rae Perkins. A page-turning read-aloud for families and classrooms, and a terrific book for fans of Nuts to You, by Lynne Rae Perkins, and Avi’s Poppy books.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062996909
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/14/2021
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 7.75(h) x 0.93(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Cynthia Voigt is the Newbery Medal- and Newbery Honor–winning author of more than twenty books, including Dicey’s Song and A Solitary Blue. She is also the author of Little Bird, illustrated by Newbery Medal–winning author Lynne Rae Perkins. She lives in Maine. 

Editorial Reviews

From Newbery Medalist Voigt comes this story of a tiny, inquisitive crow tackling life’s big questions. . . . Voigt’s craft is on full display in emotionally evocative scenes, such as wonder at soaring and palpable fear at an encounter with death. Little Bird is a plucky protagonist, whose joy at discovering her wings, both literally and proverbially, makes this a sweet and uplifting read.” — Publishers Weekly

“A crow goes on a journey and is forever changed. . . . This allegorylike story is brilliantly conceived . . . Flashes of bright humor burst joyfully . . . and the story’s theme sneaks up on readers: Curiosity changes you, enriches you, and gives you choices.” — Kirkus Reviews

“When an animal attacks [the crow’s] nest and steals “Our Luck” . . . it’s up to Little Bird to find it. . . . Voigt’s animal story hits all the right notes, from our upstart underdog (bird) heroine, to the colorful cast of characters she meets along her journey, to her returning to her flock wiser, more confident, and readier to fly along with the big birds. . . . [Little Bird] falls into the . . . tradition of Charlotte’s Web or Babe.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Readers will look at crows quite differently after reading Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt’s Little Bird, the tale of a young crow who’s the smallest member of her flock. . . . It’s a pleasure to put yourself into the hands of a writer like Voigt . . . masterful . . . A wild and wonderful adventure told completely from a corvid’s point of view. This memorable tale is a celebration of knowledge and truth, as well as the importance of understanding and communicating with those who are like and unlike yourself.” — BookPage.com

“When a fisher cat attacks a crow’s nest and makes off with a fledgling and the trinket known as ‘Our Luck,’ Little Bird must set off on a quest to find them. . . . Along the way, she learns about herself, the world around her, and those that are in it. This story incorporates themes of believing in yourself, friendship, communication, and more.” — School Library Journal

“Little Bird is a curious crow who doesn’t quite fit in. . . . Her quest takes her outside her usual territory, where she encounters new situations, new creatures, dangers, and a dark night of the soul. . . . Voigt is a master at creating animal characters that are convincing and compelling.” — Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

When an animal attacks [the crow’s] nest and steals “Our Luck” . . . it’s up to Little Bird to find it. . . . Voigt’s animal story hits all the right notes, from our upstart underdog (bird) heroine, to the colorful cast of characters she meets along her journey, to her returning to her flock wiser, more confident, and readier to fly along with the big birds. . . . [Little Bird] falls into the . . . tradition of Charlotte’s Web or Babe.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

When an animal attacks [the crow’s] nest and steals “Our Luck” . . . it’s up to Little Bird to find it. . . . Voigt’s animal story hits all the right notes, from our upstart underdog (bird) heroine, to the colorful cast of characters she meets along her journey, to her returning to her flock wiser, more confident, and readier to fly along with the big birds. . . . [Little Bird] falls into the . . . tradition of Charlotte’s Web or Babe.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

When an animal attacks [the crow’s] nest and steals “Our Luck” . . . it’s up to Little Bird to find it. . . . Voigt’s animal story hits all the right notes, from our upstart underdog (bird) heroine, to the colorful cast of characters she meets along her journey, to her returning to her flock wiser, more confident, and readier to fly along with the big birds. . . . [Little Bird] falls into the . . . tradition of Charlotte’s Web or Babe.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Readers will look at crows quite differently after reading Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt’s Little Bird, the tale of a young crow who’s the smallest member of her flock. . . . It’s a pleasure to put yourself into the hands of a writer like Voigt . . . masterful . . . A wild and wonderful adventure told completely from a corvid’s point of view. This memorable tale is a celebration of knowledge and truth, as well as the importance of understanding and communicating with those who are like and unlike yourself.

BookPage.com

Little Bird is a curious crow who doesn’t quite fit in. . . . Her quest takes her outside her usual territory, where she encounters new situations, new creatures, dangers, and a dark night of the soul. . . . Voigt is a master at creating animal characters that are convincing and compelling.

Horn Book Magazine

Narrator Katherine Littrell lends a gentle feeling to innocent Little Bird, the smallest crow in her roost. Left to care for the half-grown fledglings as her siblings do the more important crow jobs, Little Bird tries to fend off the attack of a fisher who makes off with “Our Luck,” a necklace woven into their nest. Littrell makes clear Little Bird’s willingness and determination to succeed and later to understand the workings of the world. During her quest, Littrell shows Little Bird’s growth as she faces danger, discovers joy, and learns that she is free to be her own bird without concern for what others think. A contemplative tone makes this a slower listen. S.W. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2020 - AudioFile

Narrator Katherine Littrell lends a gentle feeling to innocent Little Bird, the smallest crow in her roost. Left to care for the half-grown fledglings as her siblings do the more important crow jobs, Little Bird tries to fend off the attack of a fisher who makes off with “Our Luck,” a necklace woven into their nest. Littrell makes clear Little Bird’s willingness and determination to succeed and later to understand the workings of the world. During her quest, Littrell shows Little Bird’s growth as she faces danger, discovers joy, and learns that she is free to be her own bird without concern for what others think. A contemplative tone makes this a slower listen. S.W. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2020 - AudioFile

2020-06-16
A crow goes on a journey and is forever changed.

An undersized crow, Little Bird is relegated to menial jobs in her flock. At the story’s opening, she is watching the half-grown fledglings while the other crows do more important jobs. Then a cat comes, and chaos ensues. One fledgling is taken, and, nearly as bad, “Our Luck”—a shiny necklace woven into the rook’s nest as a protective totem—is also gone. Little Bird, shamed, sets off to find it. The third-person narrative is told from Little Bird’s point of view, and while she understands other animals’ speech, they, with the exception of a wise goat, do not understand the language of crows. But understanding and comprehension are two different things, and there are many words Little Bird hears whose meanings she doesn’t know. As Little Bird journeys farther away, she encounters unfamiliar concepts and continually tries to put them into context. This allegorylike story is brilliantly conceived, but its ruminative aspect is tedious at times. Little Bird’s assessing each new experience based solely on what she currently knows is not unlike reading about someone inventing the wheel. Over and over. That said, flashes of bright humor burst joyfully, especially when the other animals talk, and the story’s theme sneaks up on readers: Curiosity changes you, enriches you, and gives you choices.

This quirky fable will either bemuse or beguile. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews