What is it about bluebirds that make us happy? Their association with happiness, prosperity, good health, and renewal of spring dates back thousands of years and across many cultures.
My son found this shell outside his guitar teacher’s house. It looks like a successful hatching!
The Shang Dynasty in China, 1766-1122 BC, associates the bluebird with knowledge and enlightenment. “In Native American mythology, some tribes consider the bluebird a spirit in animal form that symbolizes the dawn of a new day; others associate the friendly bird with the sun. The Iroquois believe that the bluebird is a harbinger of spring that fights off the evil demigod of winter, Tawiscaron.” from LiveHappy
Eastern bluebird, image from Wikipedia. The genuine bluebirds (Sialia) are found only in North America.
In the United States where bluebirds are native, there’s even a special day — National Bluebird of Happiness Day — on September 24th.
Today, for the Kid Lit Blog Hop, I have a collection of books for kids featuring the bluebird which came about serendipitously at the library. So I guess it’s true. Bluebirds do bring happiness. (And libraries too!).
Bluebird Books for Kids
Wordless Bluebird Picture Book
Bluebird by Bob Staake
A bluebird observes a boy being bullied at school and befriends him. They happily play together as he walks home from school in what might be New York City, stopping to play in Central Park. Alas, half way home, he meets up with his tormentors who want to take his new toy boat from him. During the altercation, the bluebird is struck by a flying stick and lies unmoving on the ground. The bullies run off but the boy picks up his friend in tears. Suddenly, he’s surrounded by different colored birds who pick him and his bluebird friend up and lift them into the sky … where the bluebird is able to fly off high into the great unknown.
This picture book was controversial because the ending could be interpreted as the bird dying but Bob Staake leaves it to the reader to decide what happens and that’s the way it should be.
The bluebird brought immeasurable happiness to the bullied kid, if only for a brief amount of time. [wordless picture book, ages 6 and up]
Bluebird Picture Book
Bluebird by Lindsey Yankey
Early one spring morning, a young bluebird wants to fly but needs her friend, the wind, to help her. She, like the bluebird in Bob Staake’s picture book, also explores the city and park looking for her friend, in all the places that you’d notice the wind fluttering objects. Eventually, the young bluebird finds her friend who helps her fly, but all the while she was able to fly around without it!
The illustrations and font treatment are so charming in the book. With drawings, block prints, and collage, Lindsay Yankey also uses unexpected perspectives to delight the reader. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Perhaps bluebirds bring happiness because they appear to be so darned happy themselves?
Bluebird Novel in Verse
Blue Birds by Caroline Starr Rose
Alis’ uncle has carved a toy bird for her of a bluebird, a new bird he’s seeing for the first time after leaving England for the New World in Roanoke. But when Alis’ family arrives to the colony, he’s not there. Tensions with the Native Americans mount as the English fight to impose their way of life but Alis’ bird has unexpectedly become the conduit for a new forbidden friendship with Kimi, a Native American. Is Alis’ bird imbued with special qualities like Kimi believes and will it be enough to keep them both safe? [novel in verse, ages 9 and up]
Bluebird Non Fiction Picture Book
What Bluebirds Do by Pamela F. Kirby
With loving attention to detail, Pamela Kirby watched, noticed and photographed a pair of Eastern Bluebirds that built a nest in her yard and raised a family. Her charming picture book takes you right beside her, watching the babies grow up and finally leave the nest. It’s an effortless way to learn about bluebirds and spark an interest into setting up a nest box to hopefully get a family of your own to observe! [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Bluebird Non Fiction Picture Book
I’m giving away a copy of What Bluebirds Do by Pamela F. Kirby. I accidentally bought two copies so I’m giving one away. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter below.
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Welcome to the 62nd Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children’s books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors!
This week, we are excited to be including a Facebook Linky Party to be held in conjunction with the Kid Lit Blog Hop. These linky parties are designed to give you the opportunity to connect with and grow your network of fellow kid lit bloggers, authors, and parents through your various social media platforms.
*** Please note that we will only be hosting 1 Kid Lit Blog Hop during the months of July and August. These will take place on the 3rd Wednesday of each month (July 15 and August 19).
Hostesses:
Mother Daughter Book Reviews
Julie Grasso, Author/ Blogger
Cheryl Carpinello, Author / Blogger
Stacking Books
BeachBoundBooks
Pragmatic Mom
Reading Authors
The Logonauts
A Book Long Enough
Spark and Pook
Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!
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My books:
BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 is a book that I created to highlight books written by authors who share the same marginalized identity as the characters in their books.
I love bluebirds and see quite a few around me here in VA (more than I used to see back in MA). I love the blue flash as they fly by.
Staake’s PB was very poignant. I also really enjoyed Caroline Starr Rose’s verse novel, but I haven’t read the Kirby book–thanks for the chance at winning it, Mia!!
Hi Maria,
I can see all the fuss around Staake’s wordless picture book when it came out because of the ending but I think that is what makes it such a great book! The Kirby book is great. We put up a birdhouse on a tree near our house. I hope we get the same nesting bird experience as their book!
Thanks so much for the ways you’ve talked up my book, Mia. I had no idea there were so many bluebird books!
Hi Caroline,
Who can resist bluebirds??! They are such happy creatures! Such serendipity at the library too! I love when that happens!
What a fun collection to share with the #KidLitBlogHop today!
My students had a hard time liking Bluebird by Bob Staake, because they felt like it was a rip-off of the Red Balloon.
Hi Katie,
That’s so interesting! The Red Balloon is very powerful too! I can see that connection and why they would feel like Staake “copied” though I am sure he didn’t. Kids are like that though, don’t you think? They get so upset by an perceived copying whether it’s a item of clothing or an idea for a story!
I wonder if they would do a compare/contrast of the two stories and talk about which medium is more powerful.
It was mostly because we had been having a lot of conversations around the idea of plagiarism in their research notes.
It is weird though, when you compare the two, how much they are alike in plot, pacing, and even setting!
That’s so interesting Katie!!
We have lots of robins and bluejays in our backyard lately
Hi Merry,
How fun!! I wish more birds would visit me! I need to get a birdfeeder that is squirrel proof, I think!
Mia,
You are so right. Bluebirds do make us smile. I like their cheerful chirp and brilliant blue feathers. They are jaw-dropping striking. Even their eggs are pretty.
This is a great selection of bluebird books. I’ll share it. 🙂
I came via #kidlid blog hop.
Pamela – Literate For Life
Thanks so much Pamela! I’m glad you liked my random Bluebird list! 🙂
Yes we have robins, bluejays, sparrows, doves and mockingbirds.
Hi Bobbi,
How wonderful that you so many birds visiting you!! You remind me that I need to get a bird feeder to increase our bird visits.
We get blue jays, crows, and sometimes (my favorite) hummingbirds. Plus other birds whose names I need to learn!
Hi MaryAnne,
Hummingbirds are my favorite and I haven’t seen any at my house yet. I used to think that there weren’t any in the Boston area but I’m told there are. I think I need a special feeder.
I have lots of cardinals!
Hi Alyssa,
I love cardinals!
Bluebirds are great birds! I’ll check out the books! 😀
Thanks Erik!! I hope they make you smile!
We have robins, cardinals, and jays as well as morning doves. Our cat likes to watch them (from inside the house!)
Hi Deanna,
What a great assortment of birds visiting you (and your cat!).