How to Heal a Broken Wing [Hardcover]

Bob Graham (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 26, 2008 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

In a spare urban fable, Bob Graham brings us one small boy, one loving family, and one miraculous story of hope and healing.

"No one saw the bird fall."

In a city full of hurried people, only young Will notices the bird lying hurt on the ground. With the help of his sympathetic mother, he gently wraps the injured bird and takes it home. In classic Bob Graham style, the beauty is in the details: the careful ministrations with an eyedropper, the bedroom filled with animal memorabilia, the saving of the single feather as a good-luck charm for the bird's return to the sky. Wistful and uplifting, here is a tale of possibility — and of the souls who never doubt its power.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 2—Poignantly told and visually rich, this narrative flies high. When a pigeon breaks its wing, no one notices except Will. Sporting a bright red jacket, starkly contrasted against his drab surroundings, he and his parents take the injured creature into their home. Clean lines and effective panels showcase its steady recovery, readily receiving encouragement from the family along the way. Graham's succinct text masterfully reveals the bird's resilience. "A loose feather can't be put back/but a broken wing can sometimes heal." Pen, watercolor, and chalk illustrations add depth to this tender tale as the injured bird wistfully watches a flock of flyers outside Will's window. Exemplary use of color and perspective denote shifting moods, and thin lines enhance the vulnerability of this boy and his bird. Gently expressed and honestly delivered, this quiet, yet powerful story provides young readers with an affirming conclusion.—Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayatteville, NC
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From Booklist

*Starred Review* Quietly, effectively, Graham tells the simple story of a boy who finds a fallen bird and nurses it back to health. The text is minimal. In a busy city, “No one saw the bird fall.” But a little boy walking with his mother spies the injured bird and brings it home. Up until this point, the art has effectively utilized the oversize format, filling it with full-page pictures, vertical and horizontal strips, and cartoon-style boxes in cloudy hues. At the moment the boy lifts the bird, Graham slows the story and offers a two-page spread full of bright, hopeful colors and an intense focus on the boy with the bird in hand. Turn the page and both mood and perspective change once more. Now the pages are full of people, walking, biking, rushing, while in an upper corner of the spread, encircled in a glow, readers find boy and bird; the unspoken, unwritten message is clear. Who cares in such a large place if a small pigeon falls? One child does. Although the rest of the story is a little anticlimactic, there is a satisfying reality to it as the bird is bandaged, heals, and is set free. Because this is such a visual piece, however, readers, young and old, will return to the story to look more deeply; they won’t be disappointed. Preschool-Grade 1. --Ilene Cooper

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (August 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763639036
• ISBN-13: 978-0763639037
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 0.4 x 12.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple yet powerful book about hope, recovery, and love, February 20, 2009

By 

The Well-Read Child "http://wellreadchild.blo... - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Heal a Broken Wing (Hardcover)

The premise is simple. A young boy, Will, finds an injured bird unnoticed by everyone else in the big city. He and his mother take it home to nurse it back to health, and with a lot of love, care, and hope, the bird flies again. The text is sparse, yet powerful, and the soft and richly detailed illustrations of Will caring for the bird add an inspirational and heartwarming tone.

But what is best about this book is that it's about much more than a boy caring for an injured bird. It's about hope, dedication, healing, recovery, and beating the odds. But don't worry...the beauty of the book is that it does not contain "in-your-face" messaging. It's subtle yet powerful for those who may be seeking a little comfort. I shed a tear or two reading the book and would recommend giving it to anyone who has had or is going through a rough patch in their lives. This is one of the books that I think should be in everyone's library, not just a child's library. I highly highly recommend it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a charming, heartwarming book that you'll need a rocking chair and a child to share it with!, September 25, 2009

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Heal a Broken Wing (Hardcover)

It was the city and no one ever seems to notice anything there because with their fast paced lives they didn't have the time and so when the little pigeon injured himself flying into a glass window, no one noticed . . . except Will. He was trying to reach for the bird, but his mother appeared to be trying to hold him back. He finally got to him and his mother helped wrap him in a scarf to take him home.

You can't put back a feather, but sometimes a broken wing can be healed. Mom and Dad carefully placed the pigeon in a box. The pigeon had a splint on his wing. Will was going to count down the days on his calendar, but would the bird get better? Only time would tell and then he would know if the bird would ever fly again.

This charming and heartwarming book is a Red Clover nominee for the 2009-10 academic year. The dialogue is minimal, but the detailed artwork relays this story to the heart much more than any words could convey. The only thing left out is a rocking chair and a young child to share this lovely book with!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mom of three boys, March 7, 2009

By 

Ellen Robinson (Zionsville, IN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How to Heal a Broken Wing (Hardcover)

Another good book from Bob Graham. This is a touching book with sparse text, the pictures tell the story. If you read 'Let's Get a Pup, Said Kate' and enjoyed it, you will appreciate this book even more. A warm tale pointing out that sometimes it doesn't really take much to make a real difference. Perhaps we should pause and notice a little more.