4 out of 4 stars
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Me and My Sparrow is a beautiful children’s tale motivated by a true story. Young Eve and her parents live in a high-rise apartment in New York City. Eve has a bird’s nest above her window with a baby sparrow living in it. One day, the sparrow falls out of its nest and into Eve’s room, injuring his little claw. With the help of her dad, Eve begins to nurse the sparrow back to health. The author, Yvonne Valle, condenses her real-life story into 20 pages of gorgeous illustrations and a wonderful narrative.
This inspiring story should be read to all children. It is a heart-warming tale of one little girl’s quest to care for the smaller creatures of the world. It teaches children that being kind to animals is a beautiful thing, even when you don’t get anything in return. Eve wants only to make sure that her little sparrow friend has a happy life and tries her hardest to achieve that.
There are some wonderful themes in this story. For one, as mentioned, being kind to others is a prevalent idea. There is also the family dynamic. Eve makes no decision on her own, and through the images, we can see that her family is a very happy one. They have dinner and dessert together, they are affectionate towards each other, and they are always smiling.
This short book had a small bible verse at the very end. Also, there is a point in the story where Eve prays for the sparrow to be safe, but there is no lingering religious narrative. I am not a religious person, but I believe that this type of book is important for children to learn that faith and prayer go hand in hand. It is aimed at any religion, and I find that commendable on the part of the author.
The illustrations were an absolute delight. The watercolour depictions of Eve’s family and their home were beautiful and vibrant. My favourite part was the interpretation of the sparrow. As a ‘bird nerd’, I am familiar with how house sparrows should look, and this one was perfect. That bit of attention to detail makes the illustrations all the more realistic.
There really is nothing that I didn’t love about this book. I read through it a few times to find anything that could be improved on; there was nothing. The editing is perfect, and there is not one error throughout. I also struggle to think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy this book. Sure, it’s a children’s book, but even as an adult I found it very sweet. I can’t wait to read it to my niece and show her the stunning illustrations. This gets a well-deserved 4 out of 4 stars. Little Eve, her mom and her dad are an inspiring family, and this children’s book is a must-read.
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Me and My Sparrow
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