Inspired by Emily Dickinson’s most famous poem, “Hope" is the thing with feathers, and created after the bushfires in 2019 that ravaged much of Australia’s east coast, Johanna Bell and Erica Wagner offer inspiration and comfort for the soul in this truly hopeful picture book.
What is hope? Could it be an emu learning to run? Or is it an ibis scrounging the bins for food? Maybe it is the cockie with a mischievous beak, perhaps it is the curlew migrating south. Imaginations will soar in this heart-warming ode to birds and the power of nature to heal…
Finding hope when all seems lost and when things are at their most hopeless can seem impossible but there is always beauty and aspiration in the world if we know where to look. And what better way to discover how hope manifests itself in the world than through the innocent and curious young eyes of a child and some of Australia’s winged wonders who lost habitats and homes and whose livelihoods were threatened by devastating fires.
This is a beautifully illustrated book with mixed media collages and sweeping watercolour brushstrokes creating backgrounds and birds. It is not a story so much, more a series of positive and hopeful affirmations. As kookaburras sing in the sun, albatross’ take-off and pardalotes harvest sap, readers are encouraged and empowered to see the beauty that is all around them. Nature really is marvellous and our feathered friends offer overwhelming messages of hope and promise.
With huge thanks to Allen & Unwin for the copy I received in exchange for an honest review. Recommended for 4+.
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