SPARROW

A little bird gets ready for something big.

Something is different today—Sparrow can feel it in the fullness of her belly. She flies around Jerusalem, looking for something special to bring back to her home, a nest in a crack in the Western Wall. She sees the usual—people praying, bread and fruit stands, a ritual handwashing station—but none offers the special object she is seeking. Finally, Sparrow finds pieces of paper with prayers written on them, tucked into the wall’s crevices by its human visitors, and takes some to soften her nest in anticipation of the special event: laying an egg “so warm, so big, she can hardly believe she had carried it inside for so long.” The poignance of this story will likely be apparent to adult readers, particularly those who recognize the inclusion of holy sites significant not only to Judaism but also to Christianity and Islam (among them the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Dome of the Rock). Children may not fully understand the book’s metaphor: a new life representing hope (sparrow sounds like spero, which means “I hope” in Latin) in a place associated with religious tumult and conflict. Still, Tebo’s writing flows beautifully, pairing seamlessly with Lewis’ exceptionally gorgeous, impressionistic watercolors, making this book a strong choice for reading aloud. Backmatter provides context for some of the places seen in the book, as well as for the tradition of stuffing prayers and wishes into the Western Wall’s cracks.

Just lovely.