From Publishers Weekly
Together again, Rylant and Moser (Appalachia) here intertwine themes of nature and human loss into a modern-day fairy tale. Cheerless and homeless, a girl is ambling along a river when her sadness is arrested by the sight of a bright blue house thronged by birds: "Sparrows sat on windowsills. Swallows slept in the chimney. Wrens flew in and out. And a great barred owl roosted above the front door." As the girl hides behind a tree, an old woman opens the door; the girl sees nuthatches, hummingbirds and a cooing dove "that followed the old woman everywhere she went." Returning in secret the next day, the girl is dismayed when her presence is sensed?not by the old woman but by the birds, which flock to the sky and fly in a pattern that says "GIRL." This supple connection between the natural world and the human psyche effortlessly propels the tale and sweetens the inevitable bond between the old woman and the girl. While Moser masterfully creates atmosphere through dappled backgrounds, a robin's-egg-blue Tudor house, exquisitely personable birds and a range of emotions, Rylant relates the story in comfortable yet restrained prose. As an added bonus, her casual observations of distinct habits of birds will unobtrusively inform fledgling ornithologists. A book with wings. Ages 6-9.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4-A beautiful house in the country that is a haven for birds becomes a refuge for an abandoned girl. The troubled child, who is "without a home or family," happens upon the place and is intrigued by the sparrows, wrens, goldfinches, and other winged beasts that inhabit the environs. Distrustful of humans, she hides when the old woman who lives there appears. The birds seem to have other plans, however, and it is through their actions that the child is brought to the old woman's attention and welcomed into her home. The author skillfully conveys the human connection to the secrets of the natural world. Moser's exquisite watercolors are an excellent match for Rylant's spare prose, a pairing that was also successful in this team's Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds (Harcourt, 1991). Double-page spreads of the verdant landscape are large and detailed enough to draw viewers into the magical scenes, while single-page close-ups of birds and humans provide a sense of watchful suspense and add visual rhythm to the layout. Each painting is bordered with a thin blue line and set on buff-colored paper, adding quiet elegance to the overall design. Readers will enjoy losing themselves in the mystery of the story and the magic of the illustrations.
Barbara Kiefer, Teachers College, Columbia University, NYCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
