{"id":30851,"date":"2016-08-12T17:55:05","date_gmt":"2016-08-12T21:55:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=30851"},"modified":"2016-08-12T17:55:05","modified_gmt":"2016-08-12T21:55:05","slug":"review-of-baby-wren-and-the-great-gift-by-sally-lloyd-jones-illustrated-by-jen-corace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=30851","title":{"rendered":"Review of Baby Wren and the Great Gift, by Sally Lloyd-Jones, illustrated by Jen Corace"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"baby_wren_large\"<\/a>Baby Wren and the Great Gift<\/em><\/p>\n

by Sally Lloyd-Jones
\nillustrated by Jen Corace<\/p>\n

Zonderkidz, 2016. 32 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

This book charmed me when I didn\u2019t expect to be charmed. The message is one I\u2019ve heard many times: Be thankful for who you are, and you have your own unique gift to give the world.<\/p>\n

The lilting language and unusual setting made the message ring clear.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the book begins:<\/p>\n

In the narrow crevice
\nof a giant rock face
\nin a great wide canyon
\na baby inside her tiny nest
\npeeped out.<\/p>\n

The baby was little
\nand brown
\nand a wren.<\/p>\n

And she watched in the air
\nfrom her nest in the sky.<\/p>\n

And the world was filled with such wonderfulness.
\nMonarchs in the milkweed.
\nBreezes in the switch grass.
\nAnd a glittering river that ran on.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The baby wren sees other animals doing wonderful things. A kingfisher dives to catch a fish. Ring-tailed cats cartwheel up the rocky face of the cliff. Sunfish swim and splash. Eagles fly above a storm.<\/p>\n

Between each animal, the wren wishes she could do what they do, but we also are reminded of the monarchs in the milkweed, the breezes in the switch grass, and the glittering river running on.<\/p>\n

Finally, after a storm, the sun paints the whole canyon pink.<\/p>\n

And what she saw couldn\u2019t fit inside her
\nit bumped into her heart
\nit dazzled in her eyes
\nit pushed on her throat
\nuntil
\nthe tiny trembling bird
\nwith all her tiny might
\nsang
\nby herself
\na song.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We hear the song, being thankful for all of the wonderful things that have come through \u2013 and even the eagles think it is wonderful.<\/p>\n

The book ends with a lovely summing-up refrain:<\/p>\n

And the kingfisher dived
\nand the ring-tailed cats climbed
\nand the sunfish splashed
\nand the eagles soared<\/p>\n

and a little wren filled the air with singing.<\/p>\n

And the glittering river ran on.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I also notice this book because my church is planning to open a preschool in about a year, and this book would be a wonderful choice.<\/p>\n

The closest it gets to mentioning God is that the wren\u2019s song ends with the words, \u201cThank you!\u201d The book is published by ZonderKidz, a Christian publishing company, but there\u2019s no reason people of other faiths wouldn\u2019t enjoy it, and I think it would make a nice selection for storytime at the public library as well.<\/p>\n

Because giving thanks and appreciating beauty and learning about unusual animals and realizing that even small ones may have great gifts to offer \u2013 are all things that are good for anyone to think about.<\/p>\n

sallylloyd-jones.com<\/a>
\nzonderkidz.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/baby_wren.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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