Outside Amelia's Window

by Caroline Nastro, Anca Sandu Budisan (Illustrator)

New friends to meet, new worlds to explore… Amelia is a shy little girl with a big imagination. After an injury, she finds solace in stories―fairy tales about faraway lands and magical creatures. When two children move in next door, Amelia Can she play with them? Can she be as brave as the heroines in the stories she reads? With the help of a little bird outside her window, Amelia finds the courage she needs to embark on a journey in her new wheelchair…where she discovers that there is magic to be found just outside her window. With lyrical text and lovely watercolor illustrations, Outside Amelia’s Window is a heartfelt story about friendship, new beginnings, and embracing the beauty of the world around us.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Disability, Friendship, Animals, Mental Health, Birds

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 28, 2023

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing illustrations and beautiful storytelling.

This book is about a little girl who’s quite lonely and hesitant to befriend others. The book encourages children who are differently abled to connect with others better and have a normal life.

Needs to be read by many.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outside of Amelia’s window, there is a whole world going on, but Amelia doesn’t feel like she can be part of it. After her injury, Amelia is confined to a wheelchair. Even when two children move in next door, Amelia still believes she can’t possibly join them in playing. Then a bird stops by her window and uses some of Amelia’s things to build her nest. As she watches the nest be built, the eggs hatch, and the baby birds grow and learn to fly, Amelia wonders if she could do the same thing.

Amelia’s mind is full of imagination and she dreams of worlds far away, much like the ones the tiny Restarts fly thousands of miles to live, in the rainforests of Venezuela. Amelia knows she can’t go that far in real life, but she can in her imagination. One day, as she watches the birds take their final flight away from their nest, Amelia wonders if she can leave her nest too and meet the two new friends.

This is a beautiful story for any child who feels different or left out. The watercolored illustrations were absolutely beautiful and each page could be frameable. Amelia will inspire children of all ages to step out of their comfort zone and embrace the blessings of friendships, imagination, and new beginnings.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Outside Amelia’s Window, written by Caroline Nastro and illustrated by Anca Sandu Budisan, a quiet yet stirring story about having the courage to leave one’s nest.

When the little boy in the blue cap and the little girl with pigtails move in next door to Amelia, her mother suggests that she try to play outside with them. Yet Amelia doesn’t feel that she can play the way she did before, “not anymore” (while the text never states it outright, illustrations and context show that Amelia is transitioning to the use of a wheelchair for an undefined ailment). While watching the outside world from her window one day, a bird steals her yellow ribbon and uses it to build a nest, fascinating Amelia. She does some research and finds that the mother bird and her chicks – whom she names Penelope and Osiris – are migratory redstarts, who will fly tens of thousands of miles once they are mature. Inspired by Penelope and Osiris’ courage and growth, Amelia decides that perhaps she can make a journey of her own; one that is much shorter, yet requires no less fortitude.

Lovely. Times of transition are always tough for kids, and this one subtly weaves in more than a few into its allegory on learning to fly. Notable is the choice to make Amelia’s disability an element of her journey but not the main obstacle; from the jump, the audience understands that it is not that Amelia CAN’T go outside, it’s that she isn’t READY as she is transitioning to the use of her wheelchair. The narrative also never suggests that her unreadiness is a negative – like the redstart chicks, she will leave the nest when the time is right for her. It’s a nuanced and delicate approach that assures as it encourages, and works wonderfully, especially alongside the intricate and atmospheric artwork. The length is great for a storytime, and JJ and I both liked it. A heartwarming and heartening tale, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to the Baby Bookworm by a representative of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

We need more books for children on disability. This book will do till better comes along. I wanted to like this but didn’t. Amelia is still adjusting to an unspecified injury and is in a wheelchair. She sees she has new kids as neighbors but is too discouraged by her situation to go meet them. She loses a hair ribbon to an enterprising nest builder called a redstart and starts leaving other items out that she thought the bird might want. She gets curious about them and learns about their migration route and tries to imagine what they would see along that route. Finally, when they leave, she decides she can leave her house too, to her mother’s joy, and finds the 2 new kids and they become friends and they include her in their play.

I’ve been in a wheelchair while recuperating from hip replacement surgery. They are not so easy to use! And Amelia just opens the door and shoots out, over a grassy hill? Opening a door is not easy in a wheelchair! And shooting off over grass is really hard! Ok, to a large degree, I’m being picky. The point is still valid. I really doubt Amelia could have managed such a trip her first time outside! And while the kids accept her once she approached them, why didn’t they ever knock on her door and ask her to come play? I do love the message that Amelia was eventually able to motivate herself into being brave and bold. I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of the artwork either. The one page I did love was a low tree that the kids built a long low bridge so that Amelia could get in the tree as well. Recommended until better comes along!

[Sandra]

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. As a beginning birder I'm a little biased on the lovely illustrations and factoids, but as in terms of reading to littles I'm not sure there's enough story here. If I try it I'll add their takes :)

Digital-arc provided by edelweiss and the publisher.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book! Anything that helps normalize differently-abled people to children gets my vote.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outside Amelia's Window shares the experience of a young girl as she adjusts to being in a wheelchair and finds the courage to reach out and befriend the kids next door. Inspired by a bird that she helps build a nest and raise babies, the girl reads and imagines the possibilities for the birds as the migrate across the mountains, Central America, and down to Venezuela. The author's comparison of the birds journey and the girl's journey to friendship makes a beautiful metaphor. The pencil and watercolor illustrations sometimes blended digitally to create images of the girl and the birds makes an almost dreamlike background. I found myself rooting for this little girl as she wonders and dreams her way to success. I also loved the way the kids found ways to play together such as building a ramp up to the treehouse. The tender blend of words and pictures, the girl and the birds makes for a wonderfully sweet, inspiring story that reminded me of even unexpected challenges can be overcome.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

When two kids move in next door Amelia is intrigued, but not enough to actually venture outside. Watching baby American redstart chicks hatch and learn to fly and prepare for their very long journey helps inspire Amelia to get the courage to take her own big journey next door.

The illustrations are vital to fully understand what is going on in this story. There's a wheelchair in Amelia's room and from a comment her mom makes, it sounds like it is new to Amelia and she doesn't have the bravery to venture outside in it yet. I love how the end of the picture book shows Amelia having all sorts of fun with her new friends and her wheelchair doesn't hold her back. The illustrations are so delightfully charming.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a sweet children's story about a little girl who feel subconscious about being in a wheelchair and wants to hide in her hoke reading all day rather than play with other children. It also tells the stories of 2 baby birds and how Amelia draws on inspiration from watching them grow.
Like many people, I agree that it is hard to really nail down what the story is as there are two different plots going on. When it switched to the birds, I felt robbed of the story of Amelia having the courage to go out and making friends.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet, uplifting story about a little girl who finds her own bravery as she watches two redstart chicks grow up and leave their nest. Nice combination of themes including disability, birdwatching, friendship, and bravery.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl seems shy of the outside world, and certainly doesn't feel up to greeting the two young kids on the street when they move in. She is in a wheelchair, and might end up self-diagnosed housebound, were it not for two little bird chicks that fledge outside her bedroom window. Yes, this is a book where you kind of have to convey the whole plot to show the merits, but the point of all of this needs to come across, and if that's at the expense of reciting the whole story then so be it. It's a very pretty piece indeed, and, whatever the backstory involves, the idea of a child too timid to both make herself known and to stretch her wings anything like a baby bird is one to definitely commend. An appealing read that could be most useful, this is a strong four stars.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book is a disability story, a bird story, and a story about developing new friendships. I felt that the bird focus was ultimately distracting, because even though it helped inspire Amelia and made her more confident, the time spent on the bird stuff meant that there was no space left to really develop the process of making friends. The happy ending felt rushed and didn't fully model what it would look like for someone in Amelia's situation to reconnect with other kids.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amelia is afraid to leave her home and see what she can still do. Readers see from the cover that she is in a wheelchair. When a bird builds her next outside her window, she watches the baby birds hatch and work hard to fly. She decides to gather her courage and go outside too. Readers see her interact with the two new friends and watch all of their imaginary journeys. Lovely illustrations capture the changes in Amelia's attitude and show her determination to be braver.

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

How exciting when two neighbors move in to the neighborhood. Amelia is lonely and she longs to play with the new kids and she just isn't ready.

Nature is the ultimate teacher here. Amelia observes nature around her and it gives her courage to make some new friends.

The artwork is pencil and watercolor and then rendered digitally. It's lovely artwork. It's a nice journey Amelia takes us on.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story where Amelia who seems to be newly using a wheelchair builds up the courage to use it to meet her new neighbors and play with them after being inspired by the hatchlings she watches grow and learn to fly out of their nest. I think some stuff is glossed over here but mostly good and beautiful art.

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you open the book, you are spellbound by the scrapbook style drawings made with pencils, watercolor and digitally. Amelia would so love to go outside and play with her two new neighbors. Baby birds that learn to fly give flight and inspiration to her, as she springs into a wheelchair, giving her her freedom back.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyrical text and evocative watercolor illustrations paint a poignant portrait of a lonely girl who longs to reach out to others but fears that she cannot overcome her physical limitations. An unlikely guide shows her how to let her imagination take flight to reclaim her freedom and make new friends.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amelia learns about the birds nesting outside her window and when the nestlings fly away she finds the courage to leave her house in her wheelchair to meet the children next door.

Sweet story, that will hopefully provide courage to children who need it and bestow empathy to the rest.

The endpapers are absolutely gorgeous and the watercolor illustrations beautiful.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations! Most suited for very young readers as there's not tons of text or story to get stuck into. But a lovely message of coming to terms with a disability and making new friendships.

[Jainand Gurjar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story and even the greater illustrations. I am in love with the illustrations from this book! The light, subtle, heartwarming illustration unlike other vibrant ones, which gives it a unique touch.

[MaryAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amelia, a young girl recently injured and now using a wheelchair, is reluctant to play with 2 new neighbor kids. She gets motivated to venture outside the house from watching baby birds grow and fly away.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautifully illustrated book with a wonderful message.

[Phil Ranck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book. Beautiful pictures. Positive messaging.

[Dwight Croy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and wholesome for children who need to express what they feel.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book and a beautiful story.

[Steph]

Turn/Level: 1/3

Themes: Learning to Fly, Disability Awareness

Sweet story about a girl working up the courage to make friends after a life-changing accident.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl adjusts to life in a wheelchair; lovely illustrations; a little light on story.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outside Amelia's Window is an wonderful story with enjoyable illustrations.

[Syntha Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated

[LS Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art is wonderful! The story is great. I can't wait to read the accompanying book once that comes out.