Synopsis
Determined to rid the town of the birds who feed on his crops and cause him to lose money, Squire Case and the townsfolk devise an awful plan to kill the adult birds and let their young die of starvation, but Almira, the Squire's daughter, and Noah, the schoolmaster, join forces to save the birds, who are a vital part of nature's design.
Reviews
Kindergarten-Grade 4-San Souci has crafted an ecological fable from Longfellow's 1863 poem of the same name. Both the original (apparently inspired by real events) and this prose version are set in the colonial Connecticut town of Killingworth, where hunters are paid to destroy birds that are damaging crops. The resulting slaughter, naturally, brings disaster; insects, unchecked by their former predators, wreak mass devastation. The reteller has amplified and personified key figures and their roles, making the tale comprehensible to young readers and listeners. Squire Case and his daughter move to center stage, with Almira speaking out to defend the birds, much to her father's displeasure. She becomes the instrument of the town's salvation when she decides to rescue the baby birds left to starve in their nests and, with the help of the schoolmaster and the children, turns the schoolhouse into a nursery. When her father realizes the error he has made, Almira and the youngsters joyfully open the cages and restore the balance of nature. This change from Longfellow's deus ex machina ending increases the tale's logic as well as its appeal. The slightly quaint language of the retelling retains the flavor of the poem, while making its message much more accessible. Children will be drawn to the animal-rescue element, as well as to the watercolor-and-pencil illustrations. Frequently full-page and bordered by wild creatures, they are full of watery color and period detail, enriching the natural setting and tempering the cautionary tale with humor and humanity.
Nancy Palmer, The Little School, Bellevue, WA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem of the same name, San Souci's (The Talking Eggs) fable takes place in the colonial past but deals with a contemporary concern the consequences of environmental destruction. The inhabitants of a Connecticut village plan to wipe out the birds that steal their crops. Almira, the daughter of crabby Squire Case who leads the crusade, publicly opposes the cruel scheme. Noah Arden, the young schoolmaster, has a more penetrating concern: "Surely the birds have some part in heaven's plan. Who are we to challenge the balance of creation?" Almira's father and the rest of the villagers override him. But after their natural predators are eliminated, insect pests proliferate, and the crops are laid to waste. Almira and Noah save the town by reintroducing nestlings that they and the schoolchildren have secretly fed. Root (When the Whippoorwill Calls) devotes care to every element of her watercolors figures in the background and borders are as detailed as those in the foreground and her record of the tools and clothes of the colonies will intrigue readers. Scenes of the insect plague are particularly striking; a goodwife in cap and apron beats the insects off her worm-eaten cabbages with a wooden hayfork; horses writhe on the ground to rid themselves of swarming flies. The return of the birds seems especially welcome after the scourge, and so does Squire Case's heartfelt apology. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Ages 5-8. An ecologically minded story, based on a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Squire Case is the richest farmer in the colony of Connecticut. His daughter Almira hears the sweet sound of birdsong, but Squire Case sees only a ravening horde of birds that eat fruit and grain, taking money from him and his neighbors. Despite objections from Almira and the local schoolmaster, the town decides to destroy all the adult birds and leave the hatchlings to die. Almira, the schoolmaster, and the children rescue and feed the baby birds through a summer filled with insect pests--grueling for everyone--as there are no adult birds to keep down the bug population. Squire Case now sees the error of his ways, and admits the birds' necessity. Soon there are grown birds, the town rejoices, and Almira and the schoolmaster marry. The text is message heavy, but the environmental lesson is an interesting one and clearly drawn. The watercolors, rich in period detail, are lovely, especially those pictures bordered with birds. GraceAnne DeCandido
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