J Nicholas
Author of Conference of the Birds
A beautiful twist on a classic tale
illustrated by Randa Handler.
Summary: Unhappy with who they are, five unlikely friends—a raven, a canary, an owl, a parrot, and a homing pigeon—embark on a treacherous journey, eventually discovering strength in togetherness, the value of their own unique talents, and a new sense of self-worth.
Reviews
Conference of the Birds, by J Nicholas
Reviews:
Top Amazon reviewer, Israel Drazin, writes about the Conference of the Birds, “This book with charming primitive-type pictures tells about the sky, the magical realm of the birds and the book teaches children about self-worth.
It happened once that the birds were dissatisfied and wanted to change. The parrot, for example, wanted to have original thoughts rather than repeating what others said and a homing pigeon wanted colorful feathers. The raven flew around the world to find answers for all its fellow birds. The raven found “The bird of a thousand colors” who advised “a pure heart is like a polished mirror,” and then the bird disappeared.
Children will enjoy reading the reaction of the birds to this cryptic advice, how they interpreted it, their adventure, and how they solved their feeling that they should change.”
Jessie Marie posts, “Be Yourself! Love it! This is a book that takes you on a journey with different birds. They all wish to be different from what they are. One bird, Naji, had a dream of a place where the king of birds lived. When he woke, he gathered the other birds and told them about this place. Each ready to take the journey to find the place. As they came upon trouble, the birds found themselves being able to help out in different situations. In the end, they found that just being themselves and using their talents is better than being someone else.”
“Definitely a lesson in teaching young ones to just be themselves, not try to be like others. I recommend this for any parent who needs to show your child that it’s okay for them to be different. Or for those teachers that need to teach this to their students.”
5.0 out of 5 starsUnique and beautiful
Educator Rachel Horon posts, “The birds learn that about themselves in The Conference of the Birds as will young readers of this book. Each bird from the owl to the canary to the homing pigeon have a trait or a skill that they are not as fond of. It takes a journey to discover how that part of them that seems flawed is actually useful or wonderful. My six-year old enjoyed the vibrant illustration colors and the theme of the story. It allowed us a moment to reflect on our own gifts and the gifts of those in our family.”
5.0 out of 5 starsDelightful story and illustrations Top 500 Amazon reviewer, TFL Reader posts, “My young niece and I read stories together quite frequently.