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Sara Pennypacker

Sparrow Girl Hardcover – Picture Book, February 17, 2009

by Sara Pennypacker (Author), Yoko Tanaka (Illustrator)

4.5 35 ratings

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A young girl's compassion inspires a small but powerful act of heroism during China's “Sparrow War” in this poetic picture book by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sara Pennypacker.

Ming-Li looked up and tried to imagine the sky silent, empty of birds. It was a terrible thought. Her country's leader had called sparrows the enemy of the farmers—they were eating too much grain. He announced a great "Sparrow War" to banish them from China.

But Ming-Li did not want to chase the birds away. As the people of her village gathered with firecrackers and gongs to scatter the sparrows, she held her ears and watched in dismay. Ming-Li knew she had to do something.

Quietly, she vowed to save as many sparrows as she could, one by one...

Reading age

4 - 8 years
Print length

40 pages
Language

English
Grade level

Kindergarten - 3
Lexile measure

AD590L
Dimensions

9.25 x 0.25 x 9.75 inches
Publisher

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date

February 17, 2009
ISBN-10

1423111877
ISBN-13

978-1423111870
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From the Publisher


	Waylon! One Awesome Thing	Waylon! Even More Awesome	Waylon! The Most Awesome of All	Clementine	The Talented Clementine	Clementine's Letter
More from New York Times bestselling author Sara Pennypacker!	Waylon feels like he's experiencing his own personal Big Bang in the first book in this science and laugh-filled Waylon series.	When Waylon has to share a dog with his scary classmate, he learns not all problems can be solved by science in book two of the series.	When Waylon's sister asks for his help with a theater performance, he has no choice but to say yes in the third book in the series.	Clementine's week is off to a disastrous start in this first book in the Clementine series. Can she find a way to make it better?	In the second book in the Clementine series, Clementine must discover what her talent is for a school talent show.	Follow the hijinks of clever and quirky Clementine in the third book in the Clementine series.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4—In 1958, in a stunning demonstration of unintended consequences, Mao Tse-tung decimated the sparrow population of China by compelling every able-bodied citizen to set off firecrackers, clang gongs, beat on drums, etc., over a three-day period. The frightened birds took wing until they dropped dead of exhaustion. Though this kept the sparrows from eating the wheat crop, it also prevented them from controlling the locust population, resulting in a famine. Pennypacker has imagined the thoughts and actions of a little girl who loves the sparrows and manages to rescue a few of them, keeping them safe in a barn and feeding them secretly in the months that follow. When the crops in her village are threatened by the insects, Ming-Li shows the farmers the birds she has tended and they release them, recognizing that the sparrows have always been their friends. While this picture book, with its murky folk-art-style illustrations, owes more to ecological concerns than historical fact, it will be useful in teaching about the potential of one person to make a difference in the world, and the potential of many humans to create disasters.—Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In 1958, Chairman Mao declared war on sparrows. He blamed them for devouring the nation’s wheat crop, and he required all citizens, armed with pots and pans and firecrackers, to take to the streets and literally scare the birds to death. The successful campaign brought on a plague of locusts and a three-year famine that resulted in the deaths of almost 40 million Chinese. The author takes these actual events as inspiration for a resonant, contemporary fable about Ming-Li, a girl who feels for the sparrows under attack, defies the leader, and rescues seven birds as they fall from the sky. Pennypacker strikes a suitably moralistic tone and tells her story with rich, descriptive detail. Tanaka matches the somber elegance of the text with opaque, folk-inspired paintings in a subdued palette. An author’s note explains the difficult facts behind the story. Opposite the grave historical account, though, is an uplifitng image: on a field of white, a small nest with seven eggs promises the hope that springs from the simple actions of one empathetic heart. Grades K-3. --Thom Barthelmess

Review

In this sober tale based on Mao Zedong's 1958 edict to eradicate China's sparrows to prevent crop damage, a compassionate little girl follows her heart instead of her Leader. When Ming-Li learns of Mao's plan to eliminate the sparrows by creating noise for three consecutive days, she prophetically fears the terrible din will kill all birds. As mindless mobs beat drums, clang gongs, crash cymbals and explode firecrackers, Ming-Li's worst fears are realized, but not before she hides seven sparrows, which she feeds and tends in secret. When spring arrives and shocked farmers watch helplessly as locusts decimate their crops, Ming-Li reveals her secret and saves her village from famine. Tanaka's quiet, simple illustrations in subdued tones match the somber mood. In her red suit, Ming-Li's solitary figure stands out from the villagers in their uniform blue jackets, reinforcing her individuality. Moving images, such as a double-page spread of dead sparrows falling like "teardrops" while a weeping Ming-Li cradles a limp bird, send a powerful message that one small person can make a big difference. (author's note) Kirkus"

Ming-Li is the youngest member of a farming family in China, and she's distressed when the country declares war on sparrows in an attempt to save the grain fields from the birds' depredations. As the villagers raise a clamor to drive the sparrows away from perches, the dead and dying birds drop to the ground. Even more concerned after her older brother's pet pigeon becomes one of the victims, Ming-Li convinces her brother to help her in rescuing the few sparrows who've survived their fall ("Seven sparrows," she says sadly. "When there used to be thousands"), tending them and hiding them through the winter; in the spring, the villagers discover their crops overrun by the pests the sparrows would formerly have eaten, and Ming-Li's secretly saved flock becomes the miracle that brings better days. This is a tender story smoothly told, based on China's misguided 1958 attempt to eradicate sparrows, and audiences will appreciate the heroism of the young protagonist. The relentless mowing down of the sparrows makes the account rather harrowing for its likely audience, though, and the story will leave them with a lot of questions, such as how noise kills the birds and how a mere seven sparrows can do the job of the lost flocks; the end, wherein Ming-Li's father proclaims Ming-Li a real farmer, is more random than satisfying. The illustrations have a smoothly grainy sweep that suggests oil pastels, and the controlled regularity of the modeling results in interestingly stylized scenes; the intricate and lovely sparrows, looking like delicate woodcrafting, stand out against the subdued background hues of misty landscape and dark barn. The combination distances the events somewhat (which may be for the better at its most heart-rending moments), but it's an original and elegant look. This might make for an unusual but dramatic addition to a unit on ecology, or it could simply provide listeners with a thoughtful example of youthful activism. A brief historical note is included. BCCB"

The so-called Sparrow War, declared by Mao in 1958, furnishes the basis for this grim story. Deciding that sparrows are eating too much grain, "our Leader" orders his people to drive them away, and Ming-Li's whole village turns out to "[make] so much noise the ground itself rumble[s]." Ming-Li objects, pointing out that other birds will leave along with the sparrows, but she is silenced; on her own, she creates a bird refuge in an abandoned barn and becomes a heroine the following year, when the birds are needed to control worms, grasshoppers and other pests. Fans hoping for the insouciance of Pennypacker's Clementine will look in vain; Ming-Li's determination rises up against the frightening images of marauding villagers and of dead birds raining from the sky. Debut artist Tanaka contributes skillful but unsettling pictures-her overcast palette, skewed perspectives and stylized faces create the atmosphere of a bad dream. PW"

About the Author

Sara Pennypacker is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Pax, the Clementine series and its spinoff series, Waylon, and the acclaimed novels Summer of the Gypsy Moths and Here in the Real World. She divides her time between Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Florida. She invites you to visit her online at sarapennypacker.com.

Yoko Tanaka is the author-illustrator of Dandelion’s Dream and the illustrator of novels and picture books including The Magician’s Elephant, Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh, and Princessland. She lives in London and invites you to visit her online at yoko-tanaka.com.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Illustrated edition (February 17, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1423111877
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1423111870
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD590L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ Kindergarten - 3
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.7 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.25 x 0.25 x 9.75 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #219,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #662 in Children's Bird Books (Books)
- #1,170 in Children's Books on Girls' & Women's Issues
- #2,574 in Children's Books on Emotions & Feelings (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 35 ratings

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Sara Pennypacker

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Sara Pennypacker was a painter before becoming a writer, and has two absolutely fabulous children who are now grown. She has written over twenty children's books including Pax (illustrated by Jon Klassen), Here In The Real World, the Clementine and Waylan series (both illustrated by Marla Frazee); Stuart's Cape and Stuart Goes to School (both illustrated by Martin Matje), Meet the Dullards, and others. Sara splits her time between Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Florida.

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Carol Poole

"And a little child shall lead them"

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2014

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This book goes a long way to help children (and adults) understand the dangers of ill-advised interference in the natural world around us. It explains in ways that are very easy to understand that we cannot just strike out at any one species and expect that there will be no consequences. In this case, Chairman Mao made an irrational decision to drive away or kill all the sparrows in China because they were eating the farmers' grain. In the long run, the farmers' plight was much worse because now there was not a natural enemy to eat the locusts and other insects that ate more of the grain than the sparrows had done. "And a little child shall lead them" could be the theme for this wonderful book.

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Rachael J. Oyler

Good for a science class read aloud

Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2018

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I was teaching 4th grade Science and needed an introduction to the concept of what happens when all of a certain kind of organism is eliminated from an ecosystem. I was a little bit worried that my students would not be engaged with this book but they loved it. It was a great introduction to the topic and even though the story took place far away from our town the story still helped them relate the concept to the real world.

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Rebecca P.

A great story with a historic backdrop.

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2019

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I’m a media teacher. I read it to all my 3rd-5th graders. I had read the book to my classes in a different school and it left a lasting impression. I wanted to share it with my classes again, so I bought my own personal copy. I, as well as many of my students, shed a tear or two.

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2019

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I liked it, but this is definitely someone looking to tell an environmental tale rather than actually dealing with an historical event. It would have worked better in a fantasy world than set in Mao's China.

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Daman P. Cuzmanes

Amazin kids book

Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2020

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Our daughter loved this book.

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dog lover

Beautiful book for children 'and' adults

Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2011

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Thought it was for kids, and yes, it's intended to be so. But, the story is deep. I have shown the book to my friends and co-workers who are adults, and they liked so much that some of them went out and purchased copies for their kids or family members. The story gives a long lasting impression on readers along with beautiful illustrations.

Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2009

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This is my newest favorite read aloud book! The illustrations are full page, unusual, and beautiful. The story is told through the eyes of the little girl and children of all ages will feel her empathy while reading this work of historical fiction. I am an elementary teacher and would highly recommend a copy in every library!

Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2009

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My six year old granddaughter reports that this is a wonderful book. Her mother confirms it. This is the second book by Pennypacker I've given to her, and her response to both has been great. She loves books and I just want to keep feeding her need to read.

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Avid reader

A beautifully done story of an interesting

Reviewed in Canada on November 5, 2016

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A beautifully done story of an interesting, and sad, piece of history. Teachers are using it in a reading program in our school. I'd recommend as a good book for adults to introduce to children with a theme of what one person can do and protection of animal species.

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