"«È ora di andare!» le dissero gli amici più grandi. «Ci aspetta un’altra primavera»…". Durante la migrazione invernale, una giovane pernice si smarrisce e, stanca, precipita in un gelido fiume. Dopo essere stata salvata da un cane affettuoso e gentile, per tutto l’inverno sarà ospite di una donna premurosa che pianterà i semi dei fiori che la pernice portava con sé. Nella sua nuova casa, mentre le piante cresceranno, la pernice si imbatterà in un’inaspettata felicità e imparerà a conoscere la pace e la tranquillità della vita anche nel cuore del cupo inverno. E quando giungerà infine la primavera, la pernice dovrà fare una scelta difficile: restare o volare via? Un libro illustrato per bambini dai 5 anni, una storia poetica e delicata sui cambiamenti del mondo e delle stagioni e sulla bellezza della natura. Un racconto per tutti, grandi e piccoli, per scoprire insieme l’importanza dell’accoglienza e dell’amicizia. Età di lettura: da 5 anni.
Rosen's Website should provide all this and more. It's http://www.fidosopher.com. Nonetheless: Michael J. Rosen is an American author and illustrator with over 120 books of fiction, nonfiction, humor, picture books, poetry, and more. With a strong interest in nature and animals, reflecting his animal behavior degree from Ohio State University, Rosen resides within a peaceful crease of Central Ohio with his pack of animal companions that include 2 small koi ponds he helped build on the 100 acres he shares in the foothills of the Ohio Appalachians. An avid dog lover, he was inspired by Chant, his newest Australian stumpy-tail cattle dog, which led to the creation of his newest book of fiction, The Tale of Rescue, which will be released in October 2015. With an MFA in poetry from Columbia University, Rosen also showcases his skills and talents in other projects such as The Maine Coon’s Haiku: And Other Poems for Cat Lovers (2015).
The pictures are gorgeous!! However, the writing is clunky, and heavy for a children's picture book. Consider the sentence, "Over the great river, the grouse sank lower and lower until her wings - hopelessly heavy - thrashed the air one last time to soften her plunge into autumn's icy water." How depressing! Children don't need everything to be sugar-coated, however, does it really need to be this dreary?
I was drawn to this book at the bookstore because of it's beautiful cover. What gorgeous illustrations and writing. This would make a wonderful mentor text for the writing workshop. I would also use it for teaching theme. The only think that made me laugh, though, is I doubt that Spaniel would've befriended the grouse in real life. I had a Spaniel once.;-)
I should not have read this while talking on the phone, or maybe I should subtitle this "I did not get this creepy book that everyone else is raving about."
YES, the artwork is exquisite. I do get that. Enough already.
YES, their is a DEEP & PROFOUND moral here. I do get that. My head is NOT tucked up my...elbow. Enough already.
I found this to be a creepy book about a bird almost dying because it wouldn't let go and then it was rescued .... Don't get me started about how creepy the birds looked!!! And then interminable talking about time, time, time, seasons, seasons, seasons, (NO little kid is going to want to read this book or understand this book! Ok, in all fairness, maybe a few old souls trapped in a few little kids WILL get this and understand the DEEP message here, but, most little kids won't get this I think and will become quite bored.) and then maundering on and on and on, and finally bird's friends show up because of the "forever flowers" and by this time I was totally
WHAT-EV-ER and wanting to throw myself off the sofa from utter disgust and despair. The ennui of life was about to do me in! Thank goodness, the book fell off my lap, the voice on the other end of the line recalled me to my senses, and reality resumed.
1/4 a star for this creepy book and that is ONLY because of the quality of the art.
I really want to give this book a 1 star but the pictures bump it up to a 2 star.
This books was SO boring!! I wanted to give up! The story could have been interesting and compelling but I wanted to give up reading it several time but I plowed through it just so I could give it a fair shake!
The pictures Lovely! It dragged...and was boring! This is NOT a kids book...it is an adult book if anything!
Such a gorgeous, artistic picture book! I love the mood in the masterful illustrations, and also my daughter is absolutely fascinated by the pictures. Before going to bed she flips through all the pages to pet the bird and the dog with her fingers.
Winter approaches, but one little grouse isn't quite ready to leave, or to let go of the last vestiges of the earth's gifts. Into a little pack goes some Forever Flowers, which, altogether, eventually weigh the bird down. This is when a passing spaniel finds the bird, and decides to bring it home. Over the course of the winter, the dog, bird, and a little girl become close, enjoying the company, even while one of them impatiently waits for spring to come. Then it arrives, the Forever Flowers are once again blooming, and the grouse has a choice to make. Rosen writes with a gentle sweetness about accepting the changes that happen in life, and enjoying all the fun that the moment brings. His partner, Danowski paints this with the same attitude in mind. Her realistic illustrations positively glow with warmth, even in the dead of winter. Overall, The Forever Flowers is a feel good story where we can bask in the beauty.
A quiet story that reminds youngsters that sometimes it is OK to let something go and move on...
The young grouse is determined to bring seeds of his favorite forever flowers with her as her friends fly south for the winter. She finds a new home with love and understanding from a dog and his owner. When the new year comes, her friends return and find her, it takes some understanding and flexibility on her part to join them.
Rosen's story is quiet and very introspective. Danowski's illustrations are striking in their shades of gray and brown, fully realizing late autumn and early winter. The large format of the book with large images begs readers to hold and youngster when reading this book. There is so much detail to see in the pictures and discuss about the words. Lovely!
This picturebook is very very pretentious and clearly trying too hard to distill a literary novel idea into a picturebook. It was so hard to keep track of what was going on because the language was so complicated and it would get stuck on trying to sound as good as possible without taking into consideration the reading level of the intended audience.
The artwork is amazing! But again, it seems a bit too hard core amazing for a picturebook.
I think the artist and author should have collaborated into making a literary chapter book where their efforts would have perhaps been a little more appreciated.
This really isn't a children's picture book. This seems much more like an allegory - and a rather somber, melancholy one at that - wrapped up with lots of beautiful illustrations. It's not that the message is bad - the burdens of carrying the past versus looking to the future - but it's just a bit too dreary, the writing a bit too artistic, the message a bit too deep for an average picture book reader. At least as it seems to me. Adults might enjoy it more - one of those sorts of picture books. A child might enjoy the illustrations. But actually enjoying the story? Just comes off as too heavy and metaphorical and long for an actual picture book reader.
The words used in this book are more complex than most picture books, but it is a great story nonetheless. The Forever Flowers is a book about loyalty to friends and the changing of seasons.
This really is a lovely book. The illustrations are amazing and match the softness of bird and story. The words really are like poetry and the illustrations are just lovely. There is a wistful nature to this story.
I have met Michael J. Rosen and love his poetry, so I was eager to read this picture book. While Rosen is a great artist as well, this book is illustrated by Sonja Danowski, and it is GORGEOUS! I am going to have to see if I can get some of her art to hang up in my home! But Rosen's poetry is also wonderful and thought-provoking.
As a picture book, this won't appeal to all children. But I think it would appeal to the sensitive, nature-loving ones, like me. And I think it could be especially soothing as a bedtime story. The detailed illustrations are a pleasure to pore over closely. And kids will appreciate the story of friendship. Adults will appreciate the underlying message to live in the moment and cherish each day, each season, for the particular beauty it brings. And this book can plant the seed of that message in young readers' minds as well.
The only reason I didn't rate this higher is that the ending felt a bit more melancholy than I was hoping for. But overall, I think this is a lovely book.
I'm not quite sure what to think of this one. It was a little long for a read-aloud, and I didn't love the story, and I thought it tried too hard to convey a message. But the pictures were sooo beautiful--so the kids and I enjoyed looking through it several times.
The story follows a young grouse who doesn't want to let go of summer, which causes trouble when it's time to fly south. She has an accident, but is taken in by a woman and a dog, and spends winter with them in their cozy house. She eventually learns to enjoy each season in its turn.
I liked this book because it is about this bird that loved these flowers that lasted for a long time and when it is time for the birds to migrate the bird wants to bring the flowers with her and then she got tired and crashed because of the flowers that were in a bag that was made out of grass. I like the part when the person finds the bird and helps it and plants the forever flowers in a garden of flowers that they have in there house. I think that you should read this book because I think that it is a nice book
This is a heartwarming story for children with longer attention spans. It is written in beautiful poetry, heavy with rich language and metaphor. The realistic illustrations give a "Little House in the Big Woods" feeling to the story. Good for children with longer attention spans.
Very pretty illustrations and very poetic but it did not hold my attention. It's clearly for an adult audience which is fine but I prefer picture books for kids.
I think goodread's description of the book is more elaborate than the story itself. For me, the story was okay but nothing special. The illustrations though... Gorgeous.