Feathers
By Phil Cummings
Illustrated by Phil Lesnie



This picturebook (brought to you by an Australian writer/illustrator team) follows the global migration of a sandpiper.  During its flight, it drops a feather for children along the way - in regions ravaged by natural disasters and war, where people are fleeing for their lives. The feather brings hope and joy to those who receive it.



While this is intense subject matter for small children, the verse is lyrical and poetic and it is approached in a gentle way. The use of watercolour echos this, giving a natural, dream-like quality to the book. 

From a humanistic viewpoint, the message to take away from this book is one of hope, and also of being thankful for what one has; scientifically, it is interesting to chart the migratory patterns of birds. Either way, it is a good choice for a read-aloud and class discussion on a variety of topics ranging from refugees to global warming.

Scholastic Teacher Notes on Feathers:
http://resource.scholastic.com.au/resourcefiles/8515447_67625.pdf

Phil Cummings Website: https://philcummings.com/