Book Review: How to Heal a Broken Wing

Author: Bob Graham
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: No one saw the bird fall. Only young Will noticed it lying injured on the ground. Only he stopped to help. In this spare urban fable, Bob Graham brings us one small boy, one loving family, and one miraculous story of hope and healing.  The author says, "In troubled times, when many of us are losing contact with the natural world, I wanted to show that there is still hope in a coming generation of children who have curiosity and empathy with the world around them, and that care and attention can sometimes fix broken wings."

Why It's On My Bookshelf:  This was published about two years ago but it is a new find for me. And it's beautiful. I'm always reading stories showing kindness towards others. Well, that kindness doesn't just entail people.....it includes being caring to the world around us. Kids LOVE to be encouraged to be helpers. Sometimes I will see students going out of their way to meet the needs that arise around them. How to Heal a Broken Wing reminds me of those moments.

I love how the story starts.....with everyone walking the city streets too busy to notice an injured bird on the sidewalk. Well, everyone except a child named Will. He's a total hero in my opinion, so full of care, heart, and concern. Oh, and by the way, this is one of those reads where there is total silence in the room. The students are touched by Will as he helps the bird heal. He is setting a wonderful example for children that they have the power to do good deeds. A lot of students brought up the book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud. They commented how all living things have buckets, not just people. Sigh. Love it. I think there is a lot to explore in this book. It's new to my shelf, but I'm already letting the students thoughts and comments do the leading. You'll also love how the illustrations do the storytelling.

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