Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The True story of Stellina
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 5 to 8
Random House, 2006 ISBN: 978-0375832734
This is the true story of a little bird who gets lost in the middle of a big city. Thankfully the little bird, Stellina, is adopted by the author’s wife, Holly, who takes her little cheeping charge everywhere with her. Carefully and lovingly Holly feeds and takes care of the bird and Stellina thrives and grows.
Of course there are those special moments which are a joy to Holly and which make her awfully proud of Stellina. There is the day Stellina learns how to feed herself and better still, the day when she teaches herself how to fly.`
Punctuated by Stellina’s voice, “Cheep,” this simple and delightful story about the compassion that two people have for a lost little bird is heartwarming to read. Matteo Pericoli uses language in such a way that his story will appeal to children and adults alike. In the poignant, thoughtful, and sometimes funny text he tries to imagine what the bird might think of her very un-birdlike life in a small city apartment. His strikingly spare artwork is emotive and his stylized little bird with her round little body and small beak is quite charming. Anyone who has been lost in a “biiiiig” place will sympathize with the little bird and will be grateful that this brave little scrap of life was rescued and given a home.
