Bird House: A Board Book

by Blanca Gómez

A grandmother and grandchild nurse an injured bird together in this touching story about caring for all creatures, the wonder of nature, and letting go—now in board book!

On a snowy day, a grandmother and grandchild find an injured bird.

They take it home and care for it until it can fly around the living room. It is fantastic—just like everything at Abuela’s house!

But a fantastic moment is also bittersweet, for the little bird’s recovery means that it’s time to let it fly free.

Drawing inspiration from a formative childhood experience, Blanca Gómez crafts a deceptively simple story that is morally and emotionally resonant and brimming with love, wonder, and a deep respect for the natural world.

Genres: Picture Books, Birds, Family, Storytime, Animals, Nature, Childrens

24 pages, Board Book

Published May 2, 2023

About the author

Blanca Gomez started creating illustrations for her mother when she was a kid. Now, she illustrates for clients around the world. Blanca lives and works in Madrid, Spain.

Reviews

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy illustrations and a sweet grandparent/child relationship as they care for an injured bird. The text is minimal--only about a sentence on each page, and it's a quick, cute read. As a child I was always taught not to touch birds (or maybe that's just baby birds?) so I'm not sure if nursing a bird back to health would happen in my house.

[Abby Johnson]

This is a sweet and simple picture book about a young girl and her abuela who rescue a hurt bird and nurse it back to health in the winter. When spring comes around, their bird friend comes back to visit and although they can't keep the bird in their apartment, they can put out a bird house so that it can visit any time. I love the joyful yellow bird and the simple, calm text that celebrates the relationship between a girl and her grandmother.

[Rainbow Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by the author’s own childhood, Bird House by Blanca Gómez is a wonderful story about a grandmother and granddaughter who nurse an injured bird back to health together.

Our young narrator details the story of finding the bird on a snowy day, and how the pair take it back to Abuela’s home while it recovers. Though they let the bird back into the wild once it heals, they are sure to invite him back by building a birdhouse.

Blanca Gómez’s minimalist style is ever present in both the text and illustrations in Bird House, the first book she has both written and illustrated. This book may seem short and sweet, but Blanca Gomez builds so much character with so few words. I am honestly amazed that someone can convey the emotion in this story in less than 200 words.

The illustrations are delightful and add so much depth to the story. I wished I could visit Abuela’s home and ask her about all her beautiful houseplants, and what she was knitting — a basket of yarn always tugs at my little crochet heart, and makes me think of my own grandmother.

Blanca Gómez is an author and illustrator based in Madrid. To learn more about her and her work, please visit her website at cosasminimas.com.

Many thanks to Abrams Books For Young Readers for providing me with a review copy of this wonderful book. It was an absolute treat!

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[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this Spanish book to Julianna. and then she finished reading it to me. This book was written in Spanish with no English translation. I looked up a few words we didn't know. Julianna gave this book 3 stars & I gave it 4. It was a cute short story about a bird, a grandchild and her beloved grandma. Grandma helps the injured bird, and the bird is happy and can fly again. They let her free and she returns in the Spring. Grandaughter wants to keep the bird but Grandma says the bird can visit anytime. very cute short story about family and helping a injured bird. a great beginner Spanish reader

[Hannah]

I am very here for the illustration. The text is....fine. Honestly the entire book could have been successful wordless or with only a few words on a handful of spreads. It may have worked better that way.

[Christin Lozano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply the most darling little read aloud for the youngest kids in our life. The illustrations are in beautiful, collage style and the story is simply fantastic!

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes the story has been done before. But I still love this. The images are lovely, and the text is sparse in a pleasing lyrical manner.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet and gentle book about a young child and a grandmother who find an injured bird, nurture her back to health, and release her.

Parts of the book are more fantasy than should be replicated in real life; allowing a bird to fly freely around a room that also contains a cat--nope! Part of me wanted to say the bird should have been taken to a wildlife rehabber, but wildlife rehab isn't available everywhere and perhaps Grandma is a retired vet, we don't know.

Anyway, this is a kind-hearted story with a good message about letting wild things stay wild and helping small beings in trouble.

[Alissa Tsaparikos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely story that very simply shows the importance of letting nature be free. I think this is a hard concept for children to grasp, especially when they see that people have pets. This book is a great introduction on how wild animals should be allowed to stay wild and acts as a great example of wild life rehab and release.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations! Relationships between grandmas and grandkids aren’t often highlighted; this book shares this special relationship. This book also showcases what caring can look like in nature and how important it is to respect it.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfi...

BIRD HOUSE is a lovely story about a young girl and her abuela, who find an injured bird. They treat its injury and allow it to fly around the house while it is healing. After it is all better, they let it go. Eventually, they have a visitor- the bird has come back to visit. The little girl asks if she can keep the bird, but her abuela tells her that it doesn't belong to them though it is welcome to visit anytime.

What I loved: This is a beautifully illustrated and simple story that is sure to delight young audiences. Each page captures abuela's home and the magic of it all in the little girl's eyes through the lovely illustrations. The story of the bird is simple and hopeful, expressing the need to allow things to find their own way and the joy of helping others. The way this ends is perfect, with the bird visiting the little bird house they have created for it but knowing that it is not theirs to keep.

The text is very brief throughout, making this a story that captures the imagination and illustrates much while saying very little. This would work for a broad audience as a result, appealing to young toddlers through elementary school aged readers.

Final verdict: A story of grandparent love, helping others, and friendship, BIRD HOUSE is a lovely picture book read that will capture young imaginations.

Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day when out on a snowy walk, a little girl and her abuela found an injured bird. They brought it home and took care of it. As it healed, they kept it in a cage and also let it fly around their living room. The bird was just as fantastic as everything else is at Abuela’s house. When the bird was better, they released it out the window. It flew off over the city until they couldn’t see it any longer. Winter turned to spring. The little bird returned to their balcony. The little girl wanted to keep it, but instead they decided that the bird could visit them whenever it liked.

Told in simple sentences, this picture book is beautifully quiet and thoughtful. Readers will enjoy the discovery of the bird and the care that the pair take with getting it better. There is sadness as the bird has to be set free and then a joy when it returns. Without being heavy handed, this picture book explores how we can help nature without needing to own it or change it.

The illustrations capture the warmth of Abuela’s home and the rich connection she has with her granddaughter. The two spend lots of time together, reading and gardening, just being with one another on the pages.

Quiet and simple. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s #ancestorappreciationday and I was reminded of this perfectly sweet tender story of a little girl, her abuela, and a bird.
📖One cold, snowy day the little girl and her abuela found an injured bird. They carefully brought it home to nurse it back to health. As the cold day wore on, slowly the bird gets stronger again. The little girl and her abuela find joy in cheery yellow of their new friend. Eventually it is time to set their new friend free for birds are not meant to live inside houses. Abuela has a plan though, a new special house that the bird can come and go as it wishes.
📖 I love how picture books are such a personal piece of art. The more I read the more I can feel the love that goes inside each piece and especially with this story the more emotion it evokes. I often wish my own grandparents (and my husbands) were still here to meet our children and to share in the family love that has expanded immensely these last ten years. My grandparents had a great fondness for hummingbirds, with multiple feeders and little bird friends by the dozens. I remember that fondly.

[Sushie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iggi's Storytime Criteria
Age group: babies and up
Content: birds, caring for injured wildlife, relationship to wildlife, grandma
Plot: On a walk a grandma and grandchild find an injured bird. Grandma nurses it back to health and they release the bird after it spends time with them at her house. When the bird returns to visit them, the child asks if they can keep it. The grandma, who has built the bird a bird house outside the house, says it's not theirs to keep.
Wordiness: low
Length: short
Illustrations: simple, delightful paper cuts in soothing earth tones
Page Gloss: matte
Other: Short and powerful, I genuinely like this book very much. The child is quite passive in the story, though they are present in every scene and ask the pivotal question about the bird, so I'm not exactly sure how this would go down at storytime despite my admiration.

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bird House is a sweet and tender tale. Spare text with paper collage and digital illustrations in a muted color palette, tell the story of Abuela and her grandson’s rescue of an injured bird, on a winter day. While the care and healing of the bird is the main story, Gómez also masterfully weaves in the story of the loving bond between a grandmother and grandchild. Peek under the dust jacket to see the spectacular case cover of The Bird House. Not only will bird and nature lovers enjoy this delightful picture book, but will also be a hit with family (especially grandparent) read alouds and story times.

[FM Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved Blanca Gomez already from her illustrations in City Moon, and this sweet simple story was well appreciated by the whole fam. Cute story about kindness and mending a birds broken wing but also with a good message about nature and how animals are meant to be wild. My almost 4 year old really enjoyed this one as a bedtime story and since the language was mercifully brief compared to a lot of the stories we read, my wife loved reading it!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle, sweet story about a grandmother and her grandchild who find an injured bird and help nurse it back to health. I love stories that celebrate this special relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren and the important lessons we can learn from each other. The illustrations are very sweet.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! Children's publishers are seeking stories from authors and illustrators around the globe, and this story translates beautifully and offers a lovely grandmother-granddaughter (Gigi) story of caring for injured wildlife. When a bird flies into and hits the window, the Gigi team care for the bird until grandmother explains the importance of letting wildlife go free.

[Abigail Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this simple, sweet, delightful book! It’s a story of helping a little yellow bird heal and then releasing it back into the wild. Surprise - it visits them again where they have made a bird house. It’s also a beautiful story about a grandmother and granddaughter. My boys (7&9) and I loved it!

[Cindy Overcast · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book about a grandmother and grandchild who found an injured little bird and nursed it back to health. The paper collage and digital illustrations had me pausing on the pages to take in their details. I also liked that they set the bird free and it came back to visit them at the end of the story. It was a sweet book with a happy ending.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grandchildren have sweet memories of their grandparents. This is a happening the author/illustrator remembers from being with her Grandmother. Great illustrations and As I read I thought I need to see more of this illustrator’s work.
Turns out I have already read four of her titles, including the most recent entitled, Very Good Hats.
I will be remembering this author/illustrator’s name.

[Jared White · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the idea of this book but if you find an injured bird it's probably best to take it to a specialist/rehabilitation center. Hmm, from the about the author and the front pages this may be retelling an experience from the author's childhood.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle tale of a child and her grandmother who nurse an injured bird back to health during the Winter months until it's ready to fly, only to have it return in the Spring. A look at the message of nature and the link it has between all living creatures.

[Yentl ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great story about a grandchild and a grandma taking care of a bird who gets hurt. The illustrations are so pretty and cute. Her grandma had such a cool garden! I was totally jealous of her flower pots.

[Ms. Madalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that the grandma tells the child that they can't keep the bird at the end, but I'm not huge on subconsciously telling kids they can keep and "rehabilitate" animals instead of calling a wildlife professional. But it is a cute story and isn't very long.

[Monica Bertram · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a simple read and the text flowed well. The pictures had muted colors which gave the text a comforting feeling. Although the text did not have repetition or rhyming, it was still a good book.

[Hannah]

After having read the English and Spanish versions of this, I am more convinced that this would have been helped by expunging like 2/3 of the text and making it mostly wordless.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple, lovely story about grandmother and grandchild who nurse an injured bird together and release it when healed.

[Abbigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the illustrations and the simple story about taking care of something and then letting it go.