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Broken Beaks
A beautiful story about a friendship between a small sparrow and a homeless man. Readers of all ages will be moved by this powerful narrative, which highlights the heroism and dignity of people with mental illness. Beautiful full colour illustrations drawn with depth and insight by former Hans Christian Andersen Medallist Robert Ingpen
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 9, 2012
Nathaniel Lachenmeyer is perhaps best known for The Outsider, a biography of his father’s struggle with paranoid schizophrenia and homelessness. It is no wonder then that these two themes are central to his first book for children
Broken Beaks is about a young sparrow that wakes one day to find his beak has broken, with no warning and for no apparent reason. He goes from being one of the most successful sparrows – always having the pick of the best crumbs – to a virtual outcast. As his physical condition deteriorates his former friends, who can’t understand what has happened to him, begin to shun him.
One night he finds something all sparrows dream about; ‘a giant piece of fresh bread lying on the ground.’ As he moves towards it on his ‘thin, wobbly legs’ he meets a ‘thin and dirty’ stranger whom he recognises is as sad and lonely as himself. So begins an unlikely but heart-warming friendship between these two outcasts who both have ‘broken beaks’ of sorts.
This is not a book that will sit easily with some people for a number of reasons. The medium of the picture book and all it implies is an obvious place to begin. There is still a preoccupation with the picture book format – that it is the domain of the very young and should remain so. This a widely held view even though a decade or more of bold publishing in Australia has seen the creation of books whose sophistication and universal themes take them out far beyond the parameters of the very young.
The there’s the subject matter. While mental illness may come to our attention through public campaigns like ‘Mental Health Week’ and the occasional story about high profile sufferers, it is still largely a taboo subject in our culture. With all its political and social implications mental illness is not an easy condition to deal with, and is not a pleasant experience to have suffered from. Many of us are like the sparrow’s friends – if we have not suffered a ‘broken beak’ ourselves – we may find it easier to blame and misunderstand the sparrows among us for theirs. Or assume someone else will offer help.
Broken Beaks is a deceptively simple book, and some will find themselves too far into the story to stop reading, before they realise what a powerful and challenging message it delivers. Ingpen’s instantly recognisable and realistic watercolour illustrations may lull some readers into the false belief that they are going to read a non-fiction book about birds. His deliberately limited palette of colours, the title and the front cover illustration don’t give much away. Or do they? If you look closely you will see that the sparrow’s beak has already broken, and the hand he his perching on is rough and unkempt on the surface, but caring and sensitive within.
Some may criticise it for its obvious theme, and I have to agree that Broken Beaks is not the most subtle of stories – but it is one of the most moving I have read. And for those affected by mental illness the impact on family relationships, on work and on success is far from subtle. For me the strength of Broken Beaks lies precisely in the union between words and pictures. The story would be too heavy-handed without the pictures. Ingpen is renown for his attention to detail – look at the split and stained fingernails of the homeless stranger, and his dry and cracked lips, pursed in concentration while he feeds and comforts his new friend. He is also a master at echoing literary metaphor in illustrative symbolism – look at his deliberate use of colour in the crowd scene to show that it is the young who truly observe and are open to the needy among us.
Contrary to a recently published critic’s beliefs, young people past the early years of school are not shying away from picture books, because they know how sophisticated picture books can be – both in design and subject matter. For me, the picture book form is a perfect vehicle to broach such a difficult subject with young people – so many of whom suffer, or will suffer, or who will watch close friends and relatives suffer from mental illness. The teacher in me urges you to seek out this story, and engage with it, even if it is an emotionally stringent experience, because I know from my own experiences that these can often be the most transforming and lasting ones. And if mental illness needs anything, it is a society that truly understands the condition and supports its sufferers as it seeks to find cures. Highly recommended!
Broken Beaks is about a young sparrow that wakes one day to find his beak has broken, with no warning and for no apparent reason. He goes from being one of the most successful sparrows – always having the pick of the best crumbs – to a virtual outcast. As his physical condition deteriorates his former friends, who can’t understand what has happened to him, begin to shun him.
One night he finds something all sparrows dream about; ‘a giant piece of fresh bread lying on the ground.’ As he moves towards it on his ‘thin, wobbly legs’ he meets a ‘thin and dirty’ stranger whom he recognises is as sad and lonely as himself. So begins an unlikely but heart-warming friendship between these two outcasts who both have ‘broken beaks’ of sorts.
This is not a book that will sit easily with some people for a number of reasons. The medium of the picture book and all it implies is an obvious place to begin. There is still a preoccupation with the picture book format – that it is the domain of the very young and should remain so. This a widely held view even though a decade or more of bold publishing in Australia has seen the creation of books whose sophistication and universal themes take them out far beyond the parameters of the very young.
The there’s the subject matter. While mental illness may come to our attention through public campaigns like ‘Mental Health Week’ and the occasional story about high profile sufferers, it is still largely a taboo subject in our culture. With all its political and social implications mental illness is not an easy condition to deal with, and is not a pleasant experience to have suffered from. Many of us are like the sparrow’s friends – if we have not suffered a ‘broken beak’ ourselves – we may find it easier to blame and misunderstand the sparrows among us for theirs. Or assume someone else will offer help.
Broken Beaks is a deceptively simple book, and some will find themselves too far into the story to stop reading, before they realise what a powerful and challenging message it delivers. Ingpen’s instantly recognisable and realistic watercolour illustrations may lull some readers into the false belief that they are going to read a non-fiction book about birds. His deliberately limited palette of colours, the title and the front cover illustration don’t give much away. Or do they? If you look closely you will see that the sparrow’s beak has already broken, and the hand he his perching on is rough and unkempt on the surface, but caring and sensitive within.
Some may criticise it for its obvious theme, and I have to agree that Broken Beaks is not the most subtle of stories – but it is one of the most moving I have read. And for those affected by mental illness the impact on family relationships, on work and on success is far from subtle. For me the strength of Broken Beaks lies precisely in the union between words and pictures. The story would be too heavy-handed without the pictures. Ingpen is renown for his attention to detail – look at the split and stained fingernails of the homeless stranger, and his dry and cracked lips, pursed in concentration while he feeds and comforts his new friend. He is also a master at echoing literary metaphor in illustrative symbolism – look at his deliberate use of colour in the crowd scene to show that it is the young who truly observe and are open to the needy among us.
Contrary to a recently published critic’s beliefs, young people past the early years of school are not shying away from picture books, because they know how sophisticated picture books can be – both in design and subject matter. For me, the picture book form is a perfect vehicle to broach such a difficult subject with young people – so many of whom suffer, or will suffer, or who will watch close friends and relatives suffer from mental illness. The teacher in me urges you to seek out this story, and engage with it, even if it is an emotionally stringent experience, because I know from my own experiences that these can often be the most transforming and lasting ones. And if mental illness needs anything, it is a society that truly understands the condition and supports its sufferers as it seeks to find cures. Highly recommended!
December 11, 2018
I knew this was a nonfiction book when I picked it up. I assumed it would be about the necessity of a healthy beak for a bird's survival, and the story was going there. A strong, healthy bird is always able to get the best crumbs at a nearby cafe until he wakes one morning with a broken beak. Things take a turn for the worse and the little bird isn't doing so well. I also assumed this book was about animal rehabilitation; I expected the bird to be rescued and fitted with a prosthetic beak. He was rescued and kindness was shown to him, but in a way I totally didn't expect. After sharing a chunk of roll, the story ends with the bird and the man sleeping on the park bench, dreaming of better times. I feel as if there was no resolution, no conclusion. I realize there are no easy answers when it comes to homelessness but to end here makes it feel like it's okay to "close the book" on these two characters and forget about them. I don't feel that that teaches much empathy at all.
I did not expect mental illness and homelessness to play into this story. I don't like how the book said the man had a broken beak inside of him. Children are literal thinkers; they are not going to "get" that the man has a mental illness. They are going to wonder what body part is the beak and where does it live inside us!
On a positive note, the artwork was beautiful.
I did not expect mental illness and homelessness to play into this story. I don't like how the book said the man had a broken beak inside of him. Children are literal thinkers; they are not going to "get" that the man has a mental illness. They are going to wonder what body part is the beak and where does it live inside us!
On a positive note, the artwork was beautiful.
December 18, 2018
Beautiful story and wonderfully illustrated highlighting the brokenness of life, that in some way we all have and have experienced.
A wonderful book that should be read and enjoyed and meditated upon by many.
A wonderful book that should be read and enjoyed and meditated upon by many.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews