 Sami, his family, and his neighbors are escaping the bombs that have destroyed their Syrian home. Sami is heartbroken because he had to leave behind his pet pigeons. Once they reach the refugee camp and safety, everyone settles in as best they can. But Sami is not interested in soccer or painting. His life seems pointless. He cannot forget his birds. When some birds – a canary, a dove, and a rose finch – fly into the camp, Sami feeds them and provides material for their nests. This helps him begin his long healing process. Rich, textured illustrations fashioned from Plasticene, polymer clay, and other mixed media complement this moving story of one young refugee’s experience in the Syrian civil war. An author’s note gives information about refugee camps and the Syrian conflict. mjw |
| Title: My Beautiful Birds Author: Suzanne Del Rizzo Illustrator: Suzanne Del Rizzo Publisher: Pajama Press. Toronto Copyright: 2017 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77278-010-9 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Syria Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Canada Subjects: Birds, Homelessness, Illness, Loss, Middle East, Poverty, Refugee camps, Refugees, Syria |
My Beautiful Birds
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In this non-fiction picture book, readers will learn about a large variety of subjects that all encourage outdoor exploration. Throughout the book there are many questions for young scientists to ask followed by their answers. There are also experiments that readers can attempt. The book is mainly illustrated in black and white with pops of orange and blue but there are a few pages in the center of the book with full color illustrations of interesting animals. The back matter is filled with educational materials as well, such as a glossary, a timeline of important dates, and websites to learn more about the different topics. This book is sure to help young explorers expand their love of nature. amo
