“Grandma’s been staying with us since she got sick,” reads the opening line of The Bird Feeder, which gently ushers readers right into a tough, essential story. “That means now I can visit with her anytime I want,” reads the subsequent line, letting the reader know that, whereas this story is perhaps unhappy, there are additionally pretty moments forward—promise.
The narrator loves their grandmother, so the brand new association is a welcome change. Together, they watch the chook feeder exterior her window and create drawings of the birds they see. They particularly admire the cardinals, that are Grandma’s favourite. Then Grandma strikes to a brand new dwelling. “Do you remember when I told you about the hospice?” asks the kid’s mom, giving readers the chance to study as properly. “You told me it’s where Grandma will go when she needs to be more comfortable,” the narrator solutions.
The youngster brings the chook feeder to the hospice in order that Grandma can watch the birds by means of her new window. They proceed to observe birds and draw, however in addition they take pleasure in bowls of purple Jell-O and visits from a remedy canine, and a pair of cardinals construct a nest within the tree close to the feeder. The days cross quietly and finally, Grandma dies. “I’m glad Grandma saw the baby birds,” the narrator says. “I’m sad she won’t see them leave their nest.”
Few books deal with loss of life and dying as gracefully as The Bird Feeder. Author Andrew Larsen and illustrator Dorothy Leung don’t shrink back from the realities of a hospice facility, together with a nurse with gloves and a stethoscope, and a hospital mattress with guardrails that nonetheless seems to be comfy and homey. “I thought [the hospice] would be scary. But it’s not,” the narrator reveals. “It smells like pancakes.” Particularly poignant is the unfold the place the narrator and their mom say goodbye to Grandma as she sleeps, her lips turned down and eyes closed. The narrator sees three child birds within the nest exterior and squeezes their grandmother’s hand 3 times.
Being current with somebody who’s dying may be one of life’s most outstanding experiences, and The Bird Feeder avoids portraying loss of life as one thing that occurs invisibly or behind closed doorways. Larsen and Leung depict a tough topic with dignity, leaving readers with a reminder that we will proceed to recollect and honor our family members, even after they’re now not with us.
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