The Subway Sparrow

by Leyla Torres

Leyla Torres's beloved picture book The Subway Sparrow playfully engages with issues of big city life and multiculturalism.

An English-speaking girl, a Spanish-speaking man, and a Polish-speaking woman might not be able to converse, but when a sparrow trapped in their subway car needs help, their common concern bridges the language barriers between them.

Genres: Picture Books, Birds, Childrens, Spanish Literature, New York

32 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1993

Reviews

[Bennet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand that the point of the book is to display the cooperation of people from different cultural backgrounds and the respect for each and every individual creature's life, but as a birder I can't help but think that the bird (not identified in the story) is likely a House Sparrow, a species intentionally introduced in the 1800s by people seeking to establish the fauna of England/Europe in America. House Sparrows eventually displaced and have contributed to the decline of many native birds and have become an invasive nuisance. And although I know that the sparrows are doing nothing more than acting within their nature, I feel a twinge of remorse that helping one makes it incrementally harder for our native species to thrive. Again, not the focus of the book, but I can't help bringing that to my reading of it.

[Gabby Belanski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple yet powerful story that shows strangers working together towards a common goal without sharing a common language. I think this would be great for teaching about the greater good, and that strangers are not always dangerous (obviously with precautions). I just wish there were translations for the lines in other languages.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story of three subway passengers rescuing a sparrow and releasing it above ground. The three people each speak a different language, but are able to communicate and cooperate to assist the little bird.
4 out of 5 stars because the books needs a pronunciation guide and glossary for the Spanish and Polish words.

F&P reading level: H

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

1998 Great story! Different languages! Happy ending!

[Cecile · Rating 3 out of 5]

RPL needs translation of the different languages included.

[mlact]

A super sweet picture book celebrating multilingual and multicultural community. The art style is so soothing!

[°☆.。.:*・Nanna°☆.。.:*・ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book showing different ethnicities. There are various languages being spoken and even though they are totally different people, these people work together at a common goal, to help the sparrow out of the subway. I thought it had a nice theme of people of different ethnicities interacting and helping each other achieve a common goal.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love it, but something so silly kept distracting me. You will think me shallow, but the bird kept changing size! All throughout the book, the size of the bird is vastly different, and if you have ever seen a sparrow--how can you have not seen a sparrow; they are EVERYWHERE--you know they are a very smallish bird. But no, bless the illustrator's heart, that bird grew and shrunk and grew and stretched and distracted me mightily.

Good story otherwise about people from different cultures/norms working together toward a common goal, though. "What's going to work? Teamwork!"

[Joyce Munzwandi]

This is a interesting story of cultural diverse people who are trying to rescue a sparrow on a subway. They all do not speak the same language but they rally behind rescuing this bird.
The text has full color illustrations that are good for ELL students in helping them interprete the story. The book has some Spanish and it communicates the idea that even though people may be from different cultures, they can work together towards a common goal.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute! I love the illustrations. The accuracy of the Subway and the movements of the little sparrow are spot on. I love the attention to detail and the colors. As for the story its cute and introduces two new languages- Spanish and Polish, depending on your native tongue of course. People working together to help animals is a fav children's book theme of mine.

[Tiffany Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about people in the subway who speak different languages, but come together to save a sparrow. Teaches kids about breaking language barriers as well as working together for a common cause.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Groovy in a Reading Rainbow sense.

[Constance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story - however, I must learn the correct pronunciation of the Polish and Spanish before I attempt to read it out loud to kids!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very touching.