Mary Newell DePalma has written and illustrated a number of books for children, including Uh-Oh!, Bow-Wow Wiggle-Waggle, and, most recently, Two Little Birds.
* * *
I looked out the window one day and saw a little bird hopping around. I watched it for a while and wondered what its life was like. It looked ordinary to me, but maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it traveled to the tropics each year, flying thousands of miles on tiny wings. Maybe it had little brown sparrow friends here, and magnificent red macaw friends somewhere else! That would be pretty cool.
I was curious, so I read piles and piles of books about birds. I learned many fascinating facts, but I also discovered that scientists still find birds mysterious in many ways. The orchard oriole is one bird that actually does what I imagined — it flies from its North American nesting grounds to Central American rain forests each year. These migratory birds are amazing, I thought. I want to make a picture book about them.
So I did. I wrote and illustrated a simple, joyful story about two little birds who follow their natural instincts — and their own sense of adventure — on an exciting voyage through storms, across plains and oceans, and back again.
Two Little Birds is a story designed to inspire. I want young readers to care about the little birds and imagine how they feel. After reading Two Little Birds, I hope they go right to a window to look for a bird. That way, the end of the book will set them off on their own delightful journeys of discovery — journeys that start at the window and extend to the backyard, the park, the bird sanctuary, and the far corners of the earth.
Two Little Birds is a very short story, but I hope you take a long time to read it. The sentences imply much more than they say; they invite readers of all ages to ponder and imagine. The pictures tell a story too; their sequence and texture illustrate a little bird’s journey from the dark inside of an egg to the wide ocean of sky.
Somewhere along the way, I realized I was writing about more than just birds. Yes, Two Little Birds is about the first migration of two young orchard orioles. It is also, in a more personal sense, about children growing up and embarking on their own journeys. It reminds me to be happy and not sad as my own two little birds fly the nest.
Written from the little birds’ point of view, Two Little Birds is a story full of joy and discovery.
Savor the journey!
Click to order Two Little Birds or to visit Mary Newell De Palma’s website, where you can find a discussion guide for the book.
