I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids' Guide to the Cycle of Life and Death - Hardcover

Thornhill, Jan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1897066708 ISBN 13: 9781897066706

Publisher: Owlkids, 2006

Synopsis

The death of a bird is the jumping-off point for this intelligent, wide-ranging look at the cycle of life. From life spans to how things die, from what happens after death to how people cope with the loss of a loved one, Jan Thornhill guides young readers through difficult territory with grace, sensitivity, and touches of humor. She tackles the subject head on, never shirking from reality, but with a life-affirming perspective that connects death to the world around us as part of the natural, never-ending cycle of life. The book’s lively design and color photographs reinforce Thornhill’s pragmatic, positive tone.

About this title

About the Author

JAN THORNHILL is an award-winning writer and illustrator who has always had a strong interest in nature and the environment. Several of her books have been translated into different languages and published in countries around the world. Her books include the Governor General's Award-nominated The Wildlife ABC and The Wildlife 123 and the NAPPA Gold Award-winning I Found a Dead Bird. She lives in Havelock, ON.

Reviews

Grade 3-6–This straightforward, no holds barred approach to the subject will captivate children. Chock-full of color photographs, the well-designed book contains boxes with tidbits of information on a wide variety of topics, such as death of a species, human destruction, plant decomposition, trapped in time, and learning from death. The spread on animal decomposition has the following caveat: WARNING: Icky, Oozy, Stinky Stuff–just the type of thing that kids will love. Subjects such as funeral customs and the afterlife are also briefly addressed. Mummies, skeletons, microscopic bacteria, and the six stages of decomposition of a pig illustrate this eye-catching book. One discrepancy was noted: in the section entitled When People Die, the author states there's something that makes us different than other living things…we react to death….We cry over our dead…. Then, in the next section, entitled Grieving, under the heading Do Elephants Weep? the author writes, there is much evidence to think that some animals react to death and wail over their dead. So, maybe humans aren't so different from the other animals. An extensive index makes the variety of topics easy to locate.–Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI
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Edition details

• Publisher: Owlkids
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1897066708
• ISBN 13: 9781897066706
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 64