Baby Wren and the Great Gift [Hardcover]

The natural glories of a canyon are on full display as a newborn wren tries to understand her place in the world. No parents are around, so the wren takes in her surroundings: Lloyd-Jones (The House Thats Your Home) repeatedly references monarchs in the milkweed, rustling switch grass, and a glittering river below. Several animals are nearby, and the wren wishes it could dive like a kingfisher, cartwheel like ring-tailed cats, or brave a storm like two eagles. In the end, the wrens ability to bear witness to the beauty around her (what she saw couldnt fit inside her/ it bumped into her heart/ it dazzled in her eyes/ it pushed on her throat) and to convert that appreciation into a praise-song of gratitude reveals that she is exactly who she ought to be. Lovely, precise detail characterizes Coraces (Telephone) watercolor-and-pencil portraits of the animals and their habitat; her pale pink skies, craggy golden canyon walls, and wispy grasses make it easy to understand why the wren is moved to sing. Ages 48.A little bird explores her environment, meeting other creatures with special talents before discovering her own. The baby wren is first seen alone in her nest, but she soon hops out and meets other birds, animals, and fish. To the tiny bird, the soaring kingfisher and eagles, splashing sunfish, and cartwheeling ring-tailed cats are amazing and accomplished, doing spectacular things that astonish a na?ve little bird. In classic find-your-own-talent fashion, the baby wren is then so inspired by a glowing, pink sunrise that she is moved to sing her own song, which can be heard all over the canyon. The lyrical text uses rich, poetic imagery along with judicious repetition to create a memorable setting for the little bird's exploratory journey. A large format and double-page-spread illustrations in jewel tones make the canyon setting appealing, though the bird is sometimes dwarfed by the expansive vistas. When the baby wren finds her own voice, she offers a bigló#