THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH: Based on a Poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

San Souci, Robert D. (illustrated by Kimberly Bulken Root.)

ISBN 10: 0803721110 / ISBN 13: 9780803721111

Published by Dial Press, 2002

About this Item

First printing. Based on the Longfellow poem of the same name (which in turn was inspired by an actual contest held annually in the town of Killingworth, Connecticut) this is the story of how a young children come up with a plan to save the orphaned fledglings. Illustrated in full color by Kimberly Bulken Root. SIGNED by San Souci on the title page. Author's note. Large format, unpaginated. Fine in fine dust jacket. Seller Inventory # 45727

Bibliographic Details

Title: THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH: Based on a Poem ...

Publisher: Dial Press

Publication Date: 2002

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: FINE

Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: 1st Edition

About this title

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.

From School Library Journal:

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.