Eve White: Literary Agent

... 'Happiness abounds in the bright, cheerful palace garden in which the princess and her friend share stories. A little brown bird gathers their words and weaves them into his nest. He prefers words over worms, since words can bring happiness over and over again, whereas worms are “gone in two beakfuls.” But then the friend has to go away, and the princess’s resulting loneliness brings rain and gloom to the garden. Following the traditional fairy-tale pattern, all the people of the land try to cheer the princess, but only the most unlikely hero succeeds. The flashier palace birds give it their best shot but fail. Instead it is the plain brown bird who brings her solace, using the words he has collected to sing a lullaby about friendship. The illustrations use collage elements to add texture and incorporate words into the hills, the trees, and the bird’s nest. Bright colors create a cheerful book, even during the princess’s lonely period. Little girls with a princess fixation will enjoy this one and relate to the universal theme of missing a friend. Adult readers will appreciate a princess option about the sustaining power of words and story, with nary a prince anywhere'.

 

–Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland , OR