The Song of the Swallows [Paperback]

Leo Politi (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Leo Politi's charming picture books are loved from coast to coast. They have a quality all their own; a quality that is hard to put into words. He has his own secret for capturing in a few brief pages, beauty, friendliness and an unusual tenderness for children and animals.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Leo Politi wrote and illustrated dozens of children's books, many of which are set in the Latino communities of Southern California.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (April 30, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689711409
• ISBN-13: 978-0689711404
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #310,581 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Book You'll Return To Again And Again, July 29, 2001

By 

Bruce Crocker "agnostictrickster" (Whittier, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Song of the Swallows (Paperback)

This summer the swallows returned to San Juan Capistrano, but many didn't nest at the mission. Due to restoration work at the mission, many of the swallows decided to nest at a single family home nearby. A family of swallows even decided to nest in the high entranceway to my neighbor's house here in Whittier [about an hour north of SJC]. It reminded me that it was time to get out my copy of Leo Politi's beautiful book Song Of The Swallows and read it again. This excellently illustrated book tells the story of the yearly nesting of the swallows through the story of the relationship between Julian, a bell ringer at the mission, and Juan, a young school boy who lives nearby. Politi's exquisite art tells the story as much or more than his words. This was one of my favorite story books from my childhood and I'm lucky to still have the copy given to me as a young boy. The story still enchants me in my middle ages. Like many older copies of Politi's books, my copy was personalized to me by Politi [he didn't just sign the books, he did a personal watercolor on the front endpaper]. Please make this story a part of your child's personal library.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "When the swallows come back to Capistrano...", March 19, 2007

By 

R. DelParto "Rose2" (Virginia Beach, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Song of the Swallows (Hardcover)

The Song of the Swallows commemorates Saint Joseph's Day, which is the day when the swallows, or las golondrinas, return to their sanctuary at the Mission of San Juan Capistrano. This particular story bears significance to me because I can remember constructing a cardboard replica of the Mission as a school project; it was one of the first important assignments, second came a plaster model of the state of California, I had ever done. And there is no doubt that this was definitely a creative way to learn about history.

The story is about a young boy, Juan, who meets a gardener and bell-ringer at the Mission, Julian, and asks questions about Capistrano. He tells Juan the story of the swallows and how they always come to Capistrano during the warm spring and summer months, and how the Mission is a significant part of California and Native American history. Most importantly, the story emphasizes the kindness to nature and animals.

Leo Politi wrote and illustrated the book. And the unique aspect of his narrative is how he tells the story in English, but there is also a little bit of Spanish. The story is further enriched when Politi complements the book with a colorful array of drawings and the words to two of the songs about the swallows.

Overall, The Song of the Swallows reveals that a part of history does indeed exist in the stories that are told. And for Juan, he happened to find it just down the road from where he lived. Cleverly, Politi may have been suggesting that in any city or town, the history of the past is closer than you think.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Most Memorable, July 25, 2001

By 

Ann Azuma (Kobe, Hyogo-ken Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Song of the Swallows (Paperback)

YES. This is a memorable book. It is a lovely story of a little boy whose faith is inspired by the wondrous flight of the swallows to Capistrano. Last year, we visited the real Capistrano briefly, I was instantly reminded of this book my mother once read to us. And now I just HAD to share the story with my sons. The illustrations have a lyricism and simplicity that capture the beauty of the migrating sparrows. That impression of beauty has stayed with me over the decades.