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The Eagle & the Wren
Jane Goodall retells a beloved story from her own childhood—a fable that illustrates how we depend on each other for help and support throughout our lives
When the birds of the world squabble about who can fly the highest, the owl devises a contest to settle the question. As one by one various contestants drop out, only the eagle remains, soaring high above the earth. However, the wren, stowed away in the eagle’s feathers, suddenly appears and uses him as a launching pad to fly even higher. When they arrive back on the ground, the owl drives home the story’s moral of togetherness and teamwork. Goodall continues the theme in an afterword, explaining how “we all need an eagle” and sharing insights on those who have played that role in her own life. Reichstein’s illustrations of the winged creatures are meticulously crafted, and the timeless, sweeping expanse of blue sky along with the heavenwards-slanted text creates a soft visual echo of the story’s soaring motif.
When the birds of the world squabble about who can fly the highest, the owl devises a contest to settle the question. As one by one various contestants drop out, only the eagle remains, soaring high above the earth. However, the wren, stowed away in the eagle’s feathers, suddenly appears and uses him as a launching pad to fly even higher. When they arrive back on the ground, the owl drives home the story’s moral of togetherness and teamwork. Goodall continues the theme in an afterword, explaining how “we all need an eagle” and sharing insights on those who have played that role in her own life. Reichstein’s illustrations of the winged creatures are meticulously crafted, and the timeless, sweeping expanse of blue sky along with the heavenwards-slanted text creates a soft visual echo of the story’s soaring motif.
40 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2000
87 people want to read
About the author
Jane Goodall
245 books2,593 followersFor the Australian academic and mystery writer, see Professor Jane R. Goodall.
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace was a world-renowned ethologist and activist inspiring greater understanding and action on behalf of the natural world every single day.
Dr. Goodall was best known for groundbreaking studies of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, transformative research that continues to this day as the longest-running wild chimpanzee study in the world. Dr. Goodall was the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, a global conservation, advocacy, animal welfare, research, and youth empowerment organization, including her global Roots & Shoots program.
Dr. Goodall had worked extensively on climate action, human rights, conservation, and animal welfare issues for decades, and was a central voice in the work to advance environmental progress.
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace was a world-renowned ethologist and activist inspiring greater understanding and action on behalf of the natural world every single day.
Dr. Goodall was best known for groundbreaking studies of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, transformative research that continues to this day as the longest-running wild chimpanzee study in the world. Dr. Goodall was the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, a global conservation, advocacy, animal welfare, research, and youth empowerment organization, including her global Roots & Shoots program.
Dr. Goodall had worked extensively on climate action, human rights, conservation, and animal welfare issues for decades, and was a central voice in the work to advance environmental progress.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 13, 2020
Read by the great Jane Goodall herself !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmJOL...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmJOL...
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October 15, 2017
great message
June 20, 2017
A beautiful retelling of this tale of how high we can fly with one another. We especially enjoyed the personal note from Jane Goodall about how her eagle are the people that have helped her get to where she is. Wonderfully crediting her mother's ongoing support and direction and all the other 'feather's' in her life.
March 22, 2019
The king of the birds has always been a favorite, and i admit that, if anyone else had written this cleaned up version, where kindness prevails instead of cleverness, i would probably hate it. But from Jane Goodall, that kindness is genuine, and her own spirit and love are visible seeping through the story.
May 26, 2017
So sweet!
October 8, 2017
This was a great story with great note at the end.
June 6, 2019
A parable about helping others achieve greatness. Would make a nice graduation gift.
August 8, 2020
Cute children’s book
December 27, 2016
readathon16 Ένα παιδικό βιβλίο
June 13, 2018
I liked this book because it is by Jane Goodall, which would be a good lesson, but it is also talks about many kinds of birds. This story would be a good book to have in a classroom for many reasons.
August 9, 2011
I love Jane Goodall, and I love this picture book she created based on a favorite fable from her childhood. The illustrations are fantastic, and I love the realism. Goodall never condescends to her young audience; she provides some real, straight facts about the birds through both the story and the pictures...
February 16, 2015
Excellent pictures, but a somewhat touchy-feely retelling of an unidentified earlier story. Apparently included in Popular Tales of the West Highlands, Orally Collected by J. F. Campbell (1867) - why couldn't the source information be mentioned in this book?
November 29, 2012
The eagle can fly higher than any of the other birds, but wren rides along in his feathers and begins his flight where eagle gives up. So who won the race to the top?
September 21, 2013
ena boljših pravljic. Škoda, da mojim sinovoma ni bila toliko všeč. Mogoče pa kdaj drugič, a ne!
February 6, 2022
Beautiful short picture book about teamwork and how we each have special strengths. I loved Jane Goodall's message at the end.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews