Little Bird by Cynthia Voigt

Little Bird, a young crow, embarks on a quest that will expand her world and reward her curious mind.

Little Bird by Cynthia Voigt, Illustrated by Lynn Rae Perkins. Greenvillow, 2020, 319 pages

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10

Recommended for: ages 5-10 as a read-aloud; 8-10 independently

Little Bird has one job: to protect the fledglings of her home nest. But sometimes threats come from more than one direction. The day of the hawk, the cats, and the fisher brought the loss of one baby crow. But even worse, the theft of Our Luck: the bright, shiny string woven into the nest as long as Little Bird could recall. There was nothing she could do to bring back the lost baby, but she might be able to find Our Luck, with determination and a little help. She finds a kindred spirit in Brutus the goat, who’s seen a lot of the world before retiring to the Davis Farm. Brutus has an observant, inquiring mind—one reason, perhaps, that he, like Little Bird, is able to understand other animal languages. He asks the right questions to launch the crow on her quest. But, with her own limited experience, little does she suspect the danger ahead. Or the wonder.

This is the fourth novel in Voigt’s Davis Farm series about the animals, both domestic and wild, inhabiting this cozy patch of creation. Like classics such as Charlotte’s Web, the story is told quietly but with feeling and wit. Little Bird’s quest is rewarded though not in any way she expects. The elements of gentle suspense make this a good book to read aloud with younger children nestled close.

Overall Rating: 4 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 3.5
• Artistic/literary value: 4.5

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Toaff’s Way is the previous volume in Cynthia Voigt’s Davis Farm series. Illustrator Lynn Rae Perkins has a squirrel book, too: Nuts to You (starred review).
• If you like birds, don’t miss our “Birds of a Feather Book List!“

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