THE MULBERRY BIRD Story of an Adoption - Hardcover

PreSchool-Grade 2 During a storm, a young mother bird loses her nest in a mulberry tree. She struggles to care for her baby bird in a makeshift nest on the ground, but is unequal to the difficult task. Finally, she agrees to let the wise owl transport her baby to a mother and father bird who are better equipped to care for it. Told mostly from the point of view of the birth mother, this well-intentioned story attempts to explain to young children why a child might be given up for adoption. Unfortunately, the bird analogy just doesn't work. Despite the introductory caveat that the story does not realistically depict bird behavior, the many fanciful details raise more questions than they answer and obscure the book's purpose. In explaining adoption from "a bird's perspective," the story becomes too specific; lack of adequate housing is not the only cause for relinquishing a child. Using human examples to explain a complex human stituation makes more sense. Better material is available.Marguerite F. Raybould, Glendale Public Library, Calif.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.