Feathers and Fools [Hardcover]

Mem Fox (Author), Nicholas Wilton (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

Long ago and far away, in a rambling garden beside a clear blue lake, two flocks of birds began to fear each other for their differences. Their fear grew, and soon the birds became enemies, hoarding great quantities of weapons to protect themselves--until panic struck and the chance for peace seemed lost forever. This haunting modern fable reminds readers that with each generation there is renewed hope for understanding and lasting peace. “Beautifully illustrated, the message is appropriate and necessary for children of all ages.”--Children’s Book Review Service

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This powerful allegory portrays the dire reactions of a "pride of magnificent peacocks" and a "flock of elegant swans" who cannot see beyond their differences. Upon noticing that the swans can fly and swim, the proud but insecure peacocks are infected by a blind fear that incites a build-up of arms: "a great quantity of feathers which they sharpened into arrows." The swans respond in like manner, and the two species hurl toward mutual destruction. However, "the bloodstained stillness" is redeemed when two chance hatchlings emerge; their celebration of what they hold in common augurs a peaceful coexistence. Fox's (Time for Bed) analogies strike familiar poses of human aggression and nuclear holocaust. While the text's pointed poetry will sink directly into children's hearts, debut illustrator Wilton's symbolically sophisticated, lushly colored acrylic paintings may be too static for younger readers; their mysteries, however, offer sensitive viewers possibilities for contemplation and discovery. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4?An antiwar allegory. A pride of peacocks notices that a flock of nearby swans can both swim and fly, feats they themselves cannot do. They wonder if the swans will use their strength aggressively. Soon they convince themselves that they are in danger, and begin stockpiling arms?only to be used defensively, of course. The swans then gather their own weapons. Fear and tension increase until the war both groups have been preparing for breaks out, triggered by a nervous mistake. "Soon cries filled the air and blood darkened the earth." Two eggs survive, two chicks hatch, a swan and a peacock. They recognize one another as fellow birds, more alike than different, and stumble away to share the world. This allegory is alive with symbolic references and ideas. The pictures, however, are what lift the story out of the ordinary. Wilton's full-page acrylic paintings on the right are framed with primitive borders laid against a second border of solid black. The left-hand page displays brief text set on a background of geometric and natural forms in symbolic shapes (roses and thorns, snakes and fish) in colors that are shaded with darkness but nonetheless vivid. This tale will be an easy step-off to discussion of the late arms-race, perhaps helping to clarify thoughts, even to changing opinions. Fox clearly implies that war is the result of stupidity and unreasonable fear.?Ruth Semrau, formerly at Lovejoy School, Allen, TX
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 36 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1 edition (April 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152004734
• ISBN-13: 978-0152004736
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,807,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

MEM FOX is the author of many acclaimed books, including Possum Magic, Koala Lou, Time for Bed, and, for adults, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever. She lives in Adelaide, Australia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Lesson In Conflict, April 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Feathers and Fools (Hardcover)

Once again Mem Fox has captured an essential humancondition. Like so many of her previous picture books, Feathers andFools, lyrically pulls us into a story rich with meaning. We use this allegory in our Unit of Inquiry focusing on 20th Century Conflicts. Students are full of observations which they apply to history and to their personal lives. Perfect for use in IB-PYP schools. The beautiful illustrations by Nicholas Wilton successfully augment this tale of fear and new beginnings.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!, January 13, 2009

By 

Jose Miguel Jamias (Shanghai, China) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Feathers and Fools (Paperback)

I LOVE Mem Fox and really like this book very much. A colleague recommended this book and right after reading it, I told myself that I want a copy of my own. The storyline is simple and yet very powerful and moving. I highly recommend this book (and all of Mem Fox's books) to everyone who is a teacher and/or a parent. Keep it up, Mem!

5.0 out of 5 stars Feathers and Fools, August 29, 2008

By 

Mary Jones "Mary" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Feathers and Fools (Paperback)

Feathers and Fools brings the point home in an easy to understand and comprehend. A MUST read for all children. As Rogers and Hammerstein said in South Pacific, "You have to be taught, carefully taught from the time you are six or seven or eight...to hate."