Pilgrim's Feather

Nicholas is an orphan. Abandoned in a mysterious aviary in the depths of the forest, he is raised by an old man who teaches him all there is to know about swans, vultures, herons, and the hundreds of other birds with which they share a home. But when the old man dies, the boy sets off on a pilgrimage to find the feather of the legendary bird called the Phoenix, the feather that is medicine for all passion, pain, and sorrow. The many-faceted and allegorical adventure that follows brings us face to face with the myths of many cultures, drawing on the Greeks, Romans, and Babylonians, the Chinese and the Sioux. Over forty fantastic paintings portray Nicholas's journey and the oddities he encounters. 40 color plates.

R. Nemo Hill and Jeanne Hedstrom conveniently live across the street from each other in New York City. Pilgrim's Feather is a collaboration in the truest sense, with artist and writer inspiring each other as the story progressed over five years. The strength of the collaboration is Hill's and Hedstrom's ability to flaunt convention and to challenge traditional ideas of illustrated narrative.