Nightingale And Wind [Hardcover]

Paul Mandelstein (Author)

Book Description

With the aid of the wise Wind, Nightingale escapes its captivity and Falcon learns a lesson in love.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Opulent paintings illustrate a mythical tale of love and freedom in this unusual but ultimately unsuccessful picture book. A wordy text tells how Falcon has imprisoned Nightingale so that she will sing to him and relieve his sadness. Yet, unhappy in her cage, Nightingale can sing only one melancholy melody until the Wind offers her freedom. In an operatic face-off, Falcon learns to accept Nightingale's independence and a new era of love descends on the world. There is little in the way of plot, and the concerns of the text--the nature of love and freedom--are not developed with sufficient imagination to maintain the interest of most readers. Newcomer Silin-Palmer's ornate artwork follows the melodramatic narrative with a range of compositions, from baroque still lifes spilling grapes and foxgloves, to wispy pastels, to a full-spread formal portrait of animals in Shakespearean attire. The artist's impressive attention to detail and the dapperly dressed animals are enjoyable, but the overall effect of the volume is overblown and even garish. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Mandelstein updates Hans Christian Andersen's The Nightingale by changing the emperor into a falcon and tossing in huge doses of New Age philosophy. The Wind, represented as a mystical lion that looks more like a cloud formation than anything else, offers to help free the Nightingale, but only if the Nightingale "truly wants" its freedom. Later the Wind tells the angry Falcon, "...it is not I who created the pain that you feel-it was there deep inside you before I arrived." And finally, the Wind offers the raptor these words of advice: "Until you practice giving love, you will not receive love." Of course, the Falcon frees the Nightingale, whose beautiful sad song turns into a beautiful happy song. The illustrations of the birds in Renaissance-styling clothing and other animals, done in oils, are unappealing, at times even bordering on the repulsive. The wordy text is sometimes difficult to read since it is occasionally slapped on over the illustrations. Skip this didactic and poorly designed book.
George Delalis, formerly at Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Rizzoli (May 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847817873
• ISBN-13: 978-0847817870
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,349,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Paul Mandelstein is founder and executive director of the Father Resource Network (www.father.com) which provides support and referral services designed to help men meet the challenges of fatherhood today and improve the strength of their families and communities. Paul is a pioneer in the field of personal communications and technology reference publishing; as president and publisher of The Book Publishing Company he directed a line of books in the family planning, comparative religion and community life categories. Along with other stints in publishing, he served six years as director of outreach publications for a nonprofit charitable relief organization working with the United Nations. Paul is a divorced father with three children. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An empowering story for women and girls of all ages., November 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Nightingale And Wind (Hardcover)

The Nightingale and the Wind will touch any woman (or person for that matter) who has found herself in an abusive relationship. You are unhappy, feel powerless, yet in reality, are free to leave at any time. This story explores the Nightingale's inability to leave and the Falcon's need to possess. Beautifully and richly illustrated by nationally acclaimed artist, Pamela Silin-Palmer, The Nightingale and the Wind is an empowering story for women and girls of all ages.