![]() ![]() All is well and our little bird is able to fly to sour higher and higher. Upon his return from his wonderful flight Tico joins the other birds and notes they act different. They frowned at him and informed him that "you think you are better than we are, don't you, with those golden wings.you wanted to be different." They then flew off leaving a very bewildered little bird behind. I do not want to tell the rest of the story here, but Tico learns that his golden wings are very valuable and by sharing them, one feather at a time, he can help oh so many people in oh so many ways. No spoilers here, but there is a rather beautiful ending to this story which teaches several lessons. The book deals with acceptance, giving, sharing and simply doing the right thing when called upon to do so. Strong messages here for the little ones, and I know from experience that the children recognize the moral or morals to this story almost instantly as the tale is being read to them. Of course there is the art work.with Lionni there is always the art really, his stories, his simple concise text, cannot be separated from the magnificent visuals he is known for. The setting here is India and the author has used his techniques of realism along with almost perfect graphic design to make the book extremely appealing to the eye. A study of each picture is almost a story within itself. Never does Lionni become preachy, sticky or Some plates are extremely simple while others are quite complex each though is almost perfection. I've been reading books to children for almost two decades, and Leo Lionni's books have always been among my favorites. They're simple in the same way that the parables of Jesus are simple - the meaning of the stories is immediately clear, yet they are deep and wise, and the stories stay with you forever.Tico and the Golden Wings is not one of Lionni's best known books (Swimmy and Frederick probably fill that category - and both of them are terrific), but it's one of my favorites. It's about a bird born without wings, who cannot fly like his friends. The friends are kind to him, but he feels left out because he cannot do the things they do. ![]() ![]() Wishing for wings, he gets his wish, but the wings are made of gold. As Tico flies around the world, he encounters people with great needs and tries to help them by giving each of them one of the gold feathers from his wings. His reward for this generosity is to grow a real feather for every golden one he gives away.In the end, Tico returns to his friends, who are thrilled to see him with wings just like theirs. They think he is now just like them, but Tico nurtures an understanding that his thoughts and experiences are not like those of his friends, that inside he is still different.The message is simple: you can care about others and still nurture your own indivuality. What is special about this book, though, is not just the lovely and wise message, but the fact that it remains lovely, and not the least bit cloying or preachy, after hundreds of readings. ![]()
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