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South
When a lonely fisherman finds an injured bird on his boat, he nurtures it back to health and—since the bird can no longer migrate with its family—charts a course to head south for the winter. Together, the two form a special friendship and enjoy life at sea until both the healing process and the journey must come to an end. In the tradition of the classic Amos & Boris , South is a story about making new friends and the bittersweet process of saying good-bye to the ones we love. It beautifully depicts the power of new beginnings and the freedom in coming home.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 2017
3 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
December 9, 2021
Great illustration and a story that has definitely been explored before. Reminded me very much of The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc, which is better.
August 3, 2019
When a lonely fisherman finds an injured bird on his boat, he nurses his avian visitor back to health, enjoying his company in the process, and forming a bond of true friendship with him. As the bird heals, the fisherman realizes that his boat is no proper home, and he heads south, setting sail in order to find his winged companion a new land...
A debut from London-based author/illustrator Daniel Duncan, South put me in mind of a number of other recent picture-books I have read, from Marianne Dubuc's poignant The Lion and the Bird , about a lion who nurses an injured bird back to health, to Benji Davies' The Storm Whale , about a young fisherman's son who rescues and then liberates a stranded whale. Tales of rescuing injured and/or endangered animals, and then setting them free at the proper time, seem quite popular in the world of picture-books these days. However that may be, while the story here was engaging enough, it was the artwork that had the strongest appeal for me. I enjoyed the visuals, from the decorative end-papers to the details of the boat interiors. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories that encourage a humane and responsible course of action, when interacting with injured wildlife.
A debut from London-based author/illustrator Daniel Duncan, South put me in mind of a number of other recent picture-books I have read, from Marianne Dubuc's poignant The Lion and the Bird , about a lion who nurses an injured bird back to health, to Benji Davies' The Storm Whale , about a young fisherman's son who rescues and then liberates a stranded whale. Tales of rescuing injured and/or endangered animals, and then setting them free at the proper time, seem quite popular in the world of picture-books these days. However that may be, while the story here was engaging enough, it was the artwork that had the strongest appeal for me. I enjoyed the visuals, from the decorative end-papers to the details of the boat interiors. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories that encourage a humane and responsible course of action, when interacting with injured wildlife.
May 23, 2017
5 for pictures. 1 for story. My son saw the banjo on the first page of the story and bagan making banjo plucking sounds with his voice, which then made me turn the story reading into a bluegrass song. But...it still didn't help the story.
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July 5, 2017There are a number of books that touch on the theme of friendship and having to separate from a friend. Similar to The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc.
June 11, 2017
Stunningly beautiful illustrations. I hope this author/illustrator creates many more books. In terms of the fisherman experience, however-- it's a bit clear he lives in a city. A single person who lives on a boat for months at a time, at anchor, fishing? Tell me more about your research methods, dude.
August 5, 2017
Charming and heart-warming, Daniel Duncan's South about the friendship formed between a fisherman and an injured bird is genuinely moving despite the simplicity of the tale intended for very young readers. Duncan's illustrations are so much fun, and loaded with fun-to-notice details.
November 24, 2017
I loved this debut about a fisherman who helps an injured bird. Daniel Duncan, you’ve got a new fan!
May 15, 2017
Loved this!
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August 23, 2017This would be a good one paired with Bluebird by Bob Staake.
March 16, 2019
I love it when I read a good picture book that wipes away the taste of a bad picture book. And this book is a really good picture book.
First, there is a sweet story, told with just enough words. A lonely fisherman finds a bird with a broken wing, heals the wing, enjoys the company of the bird, but then, knowing that the bird cannot stay in the cold, takes it south to its home, and says goodbye: "The boat felt a little quieter after the bird had gone... but the fisherman would always remember his friend."
There you are. Sometimes we have to say goodbye and keep a sweet memory. No hokey Disney ending where the bird comes flying back to be with the fisherman. The fisherman lets the bird be there bird, and himself goes home to his loved ones.
What makes this book so close to a 5 that I wish I could give it a 4.75 is that the art perfectly compliments the story. The art is bold in a clean, child accessible way that reminds me of the immortal Paul Galdone. There are lovely details--in the fisherman's tiny cabin you can see family photos and mementos of his travels. There are lovely spreads of the sea. And there is the fisherman himself, bearded, large and round in his wooly sweater and red cap. I especially loved the page where he and the bird are both looking out the porthole, and you can see the emotional tie, and the page where the fisherman is facing away, barefoot on his stool with the bird perched on his shoulder.
Am I gushing? You bet. Daniel Duncan is described on the back flat as "fresh new talent," and that he is. The sort of author/illustrator who will never be the flavor of the month, because his storytelling and art are better than that. I will be looking forward to his next book!
First, there is a sweet story, told with just enough words. A lonely fisherman finds a bird with a broken wing, heals the wing, enjoys the company of the bird, but then, knowing that the bird cannot stay in the cold, takes it south to its home, and says goodbye: "The boat felt a little quieter after the bird had gone... but the fisherman would always remember his friend."
There you are. Sometimes we have to say goodbye and keep a sweet memory. No hokey Disney ending where the bird comes flying back to be with the fisherman. The fisherman lets the bird be there bird, and himself goes home to his loved ones.
What makes this book so close to a 5 that I wish I could give it a 4.75 is that the art perfectly compliments the story. The art is bold in a clean, child accessible way that reminds me of the immortal Paul Galdone. There are lovely details--in the fisherman's tiny cabin you can see family photos and mementos of his travels. There are lovely spreads of the sea. And there is the fisherman himself, bearded, large and round in his wooly sweater and red cap. I especially loved the page where he and the bird are both looking out the porthole, and you can see the emotional tie, and the page where the fisherman is facing away, barefoot on his stool with the bird perched on his shoulder.
Am I gushing? You bet. Daniel Duncan is described on the back flat as "fresh new talent," and that he is. The sort of author/illustrator who will never be the flavor of the month, because his storytelling and art are better than that. I will be looking forward to his next book!
November 13, 2017
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello, friends! Our book today is South by Daniel Duncan, a lovely tale of kindness, friendship, and how we can touch the lives of the ones we care for.
A lone fisherman sails across the sea in his single-man vessel. One day, he finds an injured bird on deck. He takes the poor creature in and mends its broken wing, giving it a warm nest of clothes to sleep in and feeding it from his daily catch. Realizing that the bird will need to be with his own kind come winter, he plots a course South, bringing the bird to the island where its friends and family are, just as the little animal’s wing has healed. While both are reluctant to say goodbye to each other, the fisherman know that this is where is new friend belongs, and encourages him to fly free. After, he frames a feather that the bird left behind to remind him of their friendship and plots a new course, heading home.
This was a sweet, sentimental story about the bittersweet feeling of having to say goodbye, and it was very touching. It reminded me of Jake Parker’s Little Bot And Sparrow, a book with a similar theme, in that it shows young readers that even the most close and affecting friendships must sometimes come to an end. I like that it focused on how our memories of these relationships are something to be cherished, and how the story ends with hope: the fisherman appears to have a family of his own (shown in photos), and is now headed back to them. The illustrations build a beautiful nautical world that establishes the simple existence of the fisherman and the sweet relationship he develops with his bird friend. The length is good, and JJ enjoyed it. A beautiful, slightly sad, but ultimately honest and heartwarming story of the power of friendship, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!
Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
August 19, 2018
South by Daniel Duncan. PICTURE BOOK. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2017. $18. 9781419722998
BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
A big-bellied, bearded fisherman hears a sudden noise and discovers an injured bird on his boat. He splints the bird’s wing, and then waits. There is nothing more to do. Even though he comes to love how the bird sings along with his banjo and tastes the fish each day, the weather turns cold and he knows his boat is no home for the bird. So he heads south.
While most pages have few words, and some have none, they all have detailed illustrations full of hints about how this man’s solitary existence on a small boat contrasts to a huge ocean teaming with life. His gentleness with the wounded bird, and his willingness to go out of his way to take him somewhere safe, testify of his kind heart, but many things are left unanswered, and the ending is ambiguous. The story of friendship is clear, but the mood is more soberly pensive than joyfully relieved. Where is he heading now? Where is home? How long has he been away? Why has he stayed away? Questions such as these would start interesting conversations that could incorporate clues from the illustrations and the students’ imaginations.
P. K. Foster, teacher-librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
A big-bellied, bearded fisherman hears a sudden noise and discovers an injured bird on his boat. He splints the bird’s wing, and then waits. There is nothing more to do. Even though he comes to love how the bird sings along with his banjo and tastes the fish each day, the weather turns cold and he knows his boat is no home for the bird. So he heads south.
While most pages have few words, and some have none, they all have detailed illustrations full of hints about how this man’s solitary existence on a small boat contrasts to a huge ocean teaming with life. His gentleness with the wounded bird, and his willingness to go out of his way to take him somewhere safe, testify of his kind heart, but many things are left unanswered, and the ending is ambiguous. The story of friendship is clear, but the mood is more soberly pensive than joyfully relieved. Where is he heading now? Where is home? How long has he been away? Why has he stayed away? Questions such as these would start interesting conversations that could incorporate clues from the illustrations and the students’ imaginations.
P. K. Foster, teacher-librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
October 18, 2018
A lonely fisherman finds a bird with an injured wing on his boat. The two enjoy each other's company while the bird's wing heals. In time, the fisherman realizes that the bird needs warmer weather, so he heads south. And by the time they get there, the bird is well again.
This is a story of sacrificial kindness. Yes, the fisherman gets a friend out of the deal. But going south puts him out of his way (you get this from hints at the end), and instead of selfishly holding on to the bird, he lets the bird do what is best for it. The whimsical illustrations that go along with the tale are quite fun too. I guess the best description I can give this is that it feels like reading a Disney Pixar short. Hand this to readers who like bittersweet tales, amazing friendship tales, and sea stories.
This is a story of sacrificial kindness. Yes, the fisherman gets a friend out of the deal. But going south puts him out of his way (you get this from hints at the end), and instead of selfishly holding on to the bird, he lets the bird do what is best for it. The whimsical illustrations that go along with the tale are quite fun too. I guess the best description I can give this is that it feels like reading a Disney Pixar short. Hand this to readers who like bittersweet tales, amazing friendship tales, and sea stories.
July 2, 2018
My kids, especially my 5yo son, loved this book--and so did I. It's a sweet, simple story about an act of kindness, which is so very needed in today's world. The illustrations are lovely as well--my son loved poring over the details and also matching the items on the endpapers with the illustrations they came from. It's the sort of high-quality book I've come to expect from Abrams. We had checked it out of the library but will very likely buy a copy for our home library, as my kids were really sad when we finally had to return it.
(Read date on this a bit misleading, as I read it to the kids at least once a day the whole time we had it checked out. :) )
(Read date on this a bit misleading, as I read it to the kids at least once a day the whole time we had it checked out. :) )
July 25, 2017
More than one story has an underlying theme of loneliness and this is another. A fisherman alone on his ship finds a gull with a broken wing, helps it recover, but knows it cannot stay after healing. Kindness prevails; he heads the ship SOUTH! I love illustrations that fill the page, and Daniel Duncan, new illustrator to me, creates pages with lots of sea-faring details that can be imagined on a ship that one lives on. There’s a fun ending, too.
June 15, 2017
There was a fisherman who traveled alone... until he found a seagull with a broken wing. The fisherman took care of the seagull and the seagull liked being aboard his boat eating fish all day. But when the seagull's wing had healed, the fisherman knew it was time to take him back where he could join his family. The seagull flew back home and the fisherman set course for his home too.
August 11, 2017
A touching story about friendship, and home. We loved this book, and it's beautiful illustrations. Not to mention the simplicity beauty of both the story telling, and the message, that even young children will be able to comprehend/understand. This is one picture book that is definitely worth picking up.
FULL REVIEW http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2017/0...
FULL REVIEW http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2017/0...
May 6, 2020
I have been wanting to read this book because the art on the cover is fabulous - and the illustrations inside the book are gorgeous too! It's the sweet story of friendship between a bird and a fisherman. The kids and I were slightly thrown off by the ending, as it was not what we were expecting, but overall we enjoyed reading this book and admiring the artwork.
June 7, 2021
I love the illustrations of this book so much. I enjoy reading the simple story that was created by Duncan. It tells about the fisherman that helps the injured bird and they become friends. He is willing to turn around his boat because the bird can't stay in the cold sea weather. He takes the bird to the island where flock of the birds live.
June 28, 2017
A sweet picture book about a fisherman who finds an injured bird, and takes care of it until the bird recovers. The illustrations are lovely and filled with wonderful details so you want to examine them closely.
November 10, 2017
A picture book about a fisherman who finds an injured bird and he reroutes the boat to go South. This way, the bird will be able to survive in a warm area. The story is short but the illustrations are beautiful.
April 3, 2018
Sweet book about a fisherman who saves a bird with a broken wing. They become friends until the bird heals. Then the fisherman takes the bird to an island and sets him free. The fisherman then sets sail for home.
March 24, 2019
A fisherman nurses a bird after it breaks a wing. They become friends but the man realizes he needs to take the bird home before winter. He sets sail for the south and returns the bird to his island home.
May 29, 2019
The illustrations are the highlight of this sweet, simple tale of a fisherman who befriends an injured bird. In fact, the illustrations are strong enough that they could have stood up as a wordless book. I like the message of kindness and of how saying goodbye can be bittersweet.
May 4, 2017
For such a quiet little book, this truly has some epic illustrations. Quite lovely.
May 8, 2017
The illustrations are amazing.
May 9, 2017
A great tale on the open sea about a fisherman saving a bird, then releasing it when it's healed. Awesome illustrations and endpapers are like an i spy of the illustrations.
May 11, 2017
Just another book about someone rescuing a bird and having to let it fly away, but I don't know, there's just something about it!
May 16, 2017
A charming debut about friendship.
May 20, 2017
This book has radiant illustrations and an unstated but beautiful message that even tough-looking men can be gentle and nurturing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews