Old Bird
- Publisher
- Fitzhenry and Whiteside
- Initial publish date
- Jul 2005
- Category
- Horses, General, General
- Recommended Age
- 5 to 8
- Recommended Grade
- k to 3
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781550416978
- Publish Date
- Jul 2005
- List Price
- $7.95
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
One day Papa buys Bird, an old horse that can carry Archie and his brother to school every day. And the two boys are delighted with the gentle mare, which follows them around as they do their chores on the farm. It isn't long, however, before Bird reveals another side to her personality. Despite Papa's efforts to keep her out of the barn, Bird manages to open the latch and let herself in every time. And when she doesn't get her own way, Bird develops a habit of bucking off the boys along the trail to and from school. A despairing Papa finally decides that Bird has to be returned. There's no place on a farm for an animal that doesn't earn its keep.
p align=left">But Bird isn't ready to leave. The stubborn old mare does have a place on the farm despite her age. All she has to do is seize the opportunity and show everyone what she's been capable of all along.
Based on a true story, Irene Morck's new picture book is a delightful tale that children will love. But it is the subtle, deeper message - old does not mean useless - which will have a lasting impact on readers of all ages. Artist Muriel Wood accompanies the text with exquisite paintings that are deeply coloured and full of character, leaving their own heartfelt signature on this moving story.
About the authors
Irene Morck is the author of four previous books, including the popular children’s book Tiger’s New Cowboy Boots. Her fiction and non-fiction have appeared in magazines, anthologies, and on the radio. She and her husband live on a farm near Spruce View, Alberta, just a few kilometres away from the homestead where her father grew up.
Muriel Wood's illustrations have appeared in a number of children's books, including Old Bird, L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, and Margaret Laurence's The Olden Day's Coat. She has also illustrated the three previous titles in the New Beginnings series, Scared Sarah, Lizzie's Storm, and Aram's Choice. A former instructor at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Muriel now draws and paints fulltime. She lives with her husband and two cats in Toronto, Ontario.
