Birdsong

by Gail E. Haley, Crown Publishing Group

Old Jorinella the Birdcatcher nicknames an orphan girl Birdsong and tricks her into playing music, which charms the birds and allows Jorinella to capture them in her elaborate traps

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Olivia Lagore · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this fairytale, adapted from a brothers Grimm story, an old woman who catches birds to sell in the market, takes in a young beggar girl and tricks her into helping to catch the birds. After discovering the woman's past and her deception however, the girl chooses to save the birds and is rewarded.
The book was well written, with beautiful illustrations, but my favorite thing about it was the contrast between the old and bitter woman and the young, innocent girl. Both characters have similar backgrounds, but the choices they make shape who they become and what life they end up having. The exposition does not reveal everything in the beginning, and the reader must discover for themselves parts of the story as the action rises.
This would be a great book to read to students when teaching about these literary elements, and also when talking about anticipating the story line.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a childhood favorite of mine, and I still love revisiting the elegant story and beautiful illustrations. I’m glad I kept it all these years.