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But The Sparrow Stayed

But The Sparrow Stayed

(Bilingual With Animal Sounds)
by Norman Whaler
Children - Animals
30 Pages
Reviewed on 05/31/2020
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Norman Whaler is a multi-award winner from Grosse Pointe, MI, USA. With over 120 awards for his children's books, Norman focuses on positive messages, some on serious subjects and some that are just about fun. He is a member of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), IAN, and IBPA. His website is normanwhaler.com.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

But the Sparrow Stayed (Bilingual with Animal Sounds) by Norman Whaler is a sweet book that contains two poems perfect to introduce children to poetry. The two poems introduce two different birds that each embark on separate journeys that teach them valuable life lessons about bravery and standing strong. The first poem follows Sparrow in a fight against the change in seasons. As winter takes over, Sparrow chooses to stay and weaves a lovely metaphor that teaches readers how to stand strong against a bully and to stay true to yourself. The second poem is an adventure when an eagle takes its first flight after conquering its fear in an important message about being brave and trying new things.

Norman Whaler delivers an ideal read for parents and children to share together while providing a fun foray for children into poetry, imagery, and metaphors. The writing weaves beautiful imagery that is stunning and contains amazing visuals with the winter arriving to take over the land, told through lovely details that describe legions of white against green defenders. The imageries that Whaler uses bring to life a winter storm to create a white landscape. Through this lovely metaphor, Whaler teaches children about standing up for themselves against a bully, as the sparrow stays no matter what the winter does, and staying true to who they are.

The poems are told in both English and in Spanish and paired with illustrations that use warm colors and fine details that bring out the emotion within the poems. The illustrations provide stunning visuals of the birds which let children see the sparrow facing the winter alone and scenic moments that show the freedom and sights that the eagle discovers. The book also provides some fun facts about sparrows and eagles. But the Sparrow Stayed teaches delightful lessons to children about standing up against bullies, being themselves, conquering fear, taking chances, and being brave, which will spark discussions between parents and children.

A. L. Peevey

But The Sparrow Stayed (Bilingual With Animal Sounds) by Norman Whaler presents readers with a couple of engrossing poems about two different kinds of birds. The first one, But The Sparrow Stayed, tells the story of the experiences of a sparrow that refuses to leave behind the cold weather of its native home. The sparrow endures the icy harshness of winter, including snowstorms, but can it survive such a natural force? The second poem, First Flight, is the story of a young eagle preparing to leave its nest for the very first time. Pushed by instinct, there still remain a few obstacles for the fledgling eagle to overcome so that its first flight will be successful. However, will this inexperienced eagle be able to reach the sky where it longs to be, or will it fail?

But The Sparrow Stayed (Bilingual With Animal Sounds) by Norman Whaler has some entertaining but thoughtful features for readers of all ages. These two well-written poems, which are presented in both English and Spanish, allow readers of both languages to enjoy this book and learn. The book is beautifully illustrated with color drawings. The book contains sound bites of not only a sparrow’s characteristic calls but an eagle’s as well, some interesting facts about each bird, and an underlying message of hope and persevering to the end in the face of challenges. The book also calls for our support of the conservation of wildlife and natural places, and it is sure to become a favorite addition to any home library.

Barbara Fanson

But The Sparrow Stayed is actually two stories in one book. This newest book by author Norman Whaler features two different birds with the same objective: to prove they have the courage and stamina to accomplish a feat. Sparrow stayed for the whole winter though the winds were howling and the snow was deep. The eagle displayed power and endurance to soar high. Winter is the villain in the first rhyming story and it was determined to conquer and rule, but the sparrow stayed. And though others fled while winter screamed, the small sparrow took it on and fought against winter, the enemy. This book is an interesting comparison of two different creatures that accomplish what they set out to do.

The second story in But The Sparrow Stayed is about the first flight of an eagle. Like many people, the eagle may seem hesitant to spread his wings the first time. This story is about having the strength and determination to try something new. The young eagle will have to fly high above the trees on his first journey. This majestic bird will have to soar over ponds and meadows. Colorful artwork by illustrator Yony Madera adorns full pages in the book. There are fun facts about sparrows and eagles at the back of the book so children can learn more. But The Sparrow Stayed is a bilingual book written in English and Spanish so it’s great for students learning a new language. Author Norman Whaler is obviously a nature lover because he recommends several conservation websites so people can learn more.