Suddenly they see their eggs being stolen by what they identify as each other. They have been peaceful friends for decades. The book tells the tale of two flocks of birds, the Cardinals and the Blue Jays. Not because the subject of war has to be incomprehensible, but because making the subject of war accessible to kids is not at all easy Fan does it perfectly Not only that, she brings it all together in a moral in the front flap: "What does fighting bring us? Fear, hatred, misery and death." By the time you finish the book you completely understand and agree with that statement. All too often books about war for kids are gruesome and depressing or silly and shallow. Fan makes you laugh and cry with the birds and you feel like your life depends on bringing this war to an end. Well, that's a lot of imagining to do, but with the help of Nancy Yi Fan, the amazing twelve-year-old author of Swordbird, it becomes an enthralling learning experience. Imagine being caught up in a pointless, bloody war, for which your family and loved ones are sacrificing their lives. Imagine an evil hawk comes along and tries to steal your freedom and make you his slave. Imagine you live in a world of birds, of flight, of complete freedom. Swordbird, by Nancy Yi Fan HarperCollins:
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