Friends of a Feather: One of Life's Little Fables [Hardcover]

Bill Cosby (Author), Erika Cosby (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Meet Slipper, Feathers, and Hog. Three of the rarest birds ever known to humankind.

Now people say birds of a feather tend to flock together, but not on the Beach by the Rock. That's where these three unique friends meet for the first time, performing risky feats for one another and then later for the hundreds of folks who gather to watch.

But when the stunts of the most gifted and eager-to-please bird are overshadowed by the sheer beauty of his best friend, an attempt to borrow back the limelight nearly ends in disaster. Why do these birds stunt fly at all? What do they expect from the skies, one another, and the crowds below? And just what are the people on the beach looking for from them?

It takes a flight of imagination, the courage to be oneself, and the support of good friends to find out.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Comedy godfather Bill Cosby teams up with his artistic daughter Erika for a quintessentially Cosby-style story about the importance of being oneself--albeit a slightly weird, if playfully illustrated, tale--involving the antics of a couple acrobatic seabirds.

The "Cos" begins in trademark form, assuming the narrative voice of a bird named Blank, but who goes by the name Slipper (wha...?): "This is not my story, but I can tell you why I'm the bird to tell it. You see, I was the bird. I mean THE BIRD." Crowds gather by a place called the Beach by the Rock to watch a bird named Feathers do his high-flying best: "Feathers has a wingspan as large as a full-grown eagle's. And when he flutters those flappers of his, they sparkle brighter than a peacock's tail.... All Feathers had to do was swoop down from on high and the people would go, 'Ooh.' When he glided inland like a 747 approaching a runway, people would go, 'Aah.'" But Feathers' friend--an ugly-looking "dude named Hog"--has to work harder for the crowd's attention, and that leads to trouble. How will these two friends balance their desire to please with their loyalty to each other? Leave it to the Cos to explain.

As with many celeb endeavors, you can't help but notice the rough edges here--charming Cosbian rambling is one thing, of course, but this "one of life's little fables" could have benefited from some tighter focus and fewer unnecessary (and weird) details. The narrator, for example, has "stink plants" growing under his armpits--literally, geraniums--and a convoluted moral at the end might leave young readers scratching their little heads. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: It Books (May 6, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060091479
• ISBN-13: 978-0060091477
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 9.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,146,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The legendary comedian, author, and activist Bill Cosby continues to be as prolific and relevant as ever, reaching every generation and every audience since he began his career in stand-up four decades ago. He is one of the most influential performers of the second half of the 20th century. He has had an unparalleled career in television; has sold more record albums than any other comedian; his blockbuster books have sold millions of copies; and his generous support of numerous charities, particularly in the field of education, have endowed many Americans with the gift of hope and learning. Through his groundbreaking appearances on television, particularly in two landmark series each of which defined an American decade, Bill Cosby has touched the lives of millions of Americans. In the 1960s, "I Spy" broke the racial barrier in television by featuring Cosby as the first-ever black lead of a weekly dramatic series. In the 1980s, Cosby returned to television with a show that Coretta Scott King described as "the most positive portrayal of black family life that has ever been broadcast." "The Cosby Show" enjoyed years of number-one ratings and nearly unanimous critical praise.

Cosby's success on television has been matched in other areas. In 1986 he broke Radio City Music Hall's 53-year-old attendance record for his concert appearance. Cosby's also a giant in the publishing world. Fatherhood (1986) became one of the fastest-selling hardcover book of all time, remaining for more than half of its fifty-four weeks on The New York Times Best Seller List as Number 1. It has sold 2.6 million hardcover copies and 1.5 million paperbacks. Time Flies had the largest single first printing in publishing history--1.75 million. Now, I Am What I Ate,and I'm Frightened. A crusader throughout his career for a better world, his great success in the world of entertainment is complemented by his involvement with a host of charity organizations, making substantial gifts in support of education, most notably to predominantly black colleges and to various social service and civil rights organizations. On the evolution of his own style of comedy, Bill Cosby states that he was drawn at an early age to the masters of jazz, learning to emulate in comedy their ability to take an idea and continually find new and innovative ways of expressing the same theme. The legacy of Bill Cosby's comedic genius is as sweet, meaningful and universal as any piece of music ever played.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Fable with Personal Lesson for Each of Us, November 16, 2003

By 

Julie Jordan Scott "Writer, Life Coach - Owne... (Bakersfield, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Friends of a Feather: One of Life's Little Fables (Hardcover)

I absolutely loved this book on many, many levels.

The illustrations are colorful and at the same time incredible simple AND incredibly complex.

I love that Bill Cosby and his daughter, Erika, collaborated on it.

And then secondarily, reading the reviews from the others, I also see the richness of the whole concept of "Fables" as well. Each reviewer has taken away a special - and different - nugget from the book.

Here is what especially intrigued me:

Hog compared the "raves and applause" that Feathers received
to what he received.... nothing. He craved what Feathers received.
He judged himself unfavorably and risked his life to
have the applause, like Feathers.

Feathers didn't care about the applause. He was just doing what
he loved to do, which included being an excellent friend of
Hog.

The most inspiring moment for them came when they flew out
of the "applause range" and could simply enjoy flying and being
together.

It would be fascinating to read this as a family or a group of friends and see what they people walk away with... my guess is that each would walk away with something inspiring, something different, and some significant unique message especially for them.

Read it to hear your significant message.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Presents avian characters as if they were paper shapes, May 23, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Friends of a Feather: One of Life's Little Fables (Hardcover)

Written by comedian and humanitarian Bill Cosby, Friends Of A Feather: One Of Life's Little Fables is a children's storybook with an underlying moral about the importance of having the courage to be oneself. The eye-catching, brilliant style of color illustration by Erika Cosby (Bill Cosby's daugther), present avian characters as if they were paper shapes, in this original story of a pair of stunt-flying comrades faced with choices about how much value to put on the limelight versus one's own goals. Friends Of A Feather is recommended for grade school and community library picturebook collections for young readers.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars FRIENDSHIP, June 2, 2003

By 

Susan - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Friends of a Feather: One of Life's Little Fables (Hardcover)

This is a great story about what being a real friend means.
Feather is beautiful and hog admires the attention Feather garners when he flies. What hog didn't understand was that just because he wasn't as beautiful, didn't mean he's not just as good. (or maybe better)
Friends of a feather reminds everyone about being yourself and supporting friends.
The story is written in a playful style that engages the reader in moments of humor and a bit of drama while telling an effective story that I'm sure most will enjoy.