Review Detail

THE DEAD BIRD, a classic retold with new illustrations, is a realistic, yet charming, look at death from a uniquely childish perspective.

A diverse cast of children find a dead bird, and decide to care for it in the ways they have learned from the adults in their lives. They wrap it in leaves and bury it, then sing songs and leave flowers on the grave. The children mourn together, making this a beautiful story about death. The story is told with bold, blunt lines and colors to match the direct and sparse text. The large-scale, eye-opening illustrations invite readers to explore the book's world, to look deeper and ask questions.

The Verdict: A unique, bold picture book, THE DEAD BIRD shows young readers that death is a natural part of life that doesn't have to be all about sadness.