Review by Booklist Review
In medieval Ireland, a boy named Kevin is taken to a monastery by parents who can no longer afford to keep him, though they promise to bring him home when times are better. Meanwhile, Kevin works for the monks, who teach him hymns, prayers, and reading. He is content, though happiest when his work is done and he can roam the countryside, befriending wild creatures. As he grows older, the monks order him to stay indoors more, but Kevin longs for sunlight. He stretches his arms out the window, and two blackbirds build their nest in his hands. Fed by the monks and the birds, Kevin stays in the same position until three eggs are laid in the nest and the chicks hatch, fledge, and fly away. Released by the monks, Kevin returns home with his parents. English novelist Almond, who has won prestigious writing awards on both sides of the Atlantic, based this story on an Irish legend about Saint Kevin. Lynch's beautiful illustrations transport readers effortlessly to another time period through a combination of realistic and well-imagined visual elements. The watercolor and gouache paintings bring the distant past to life as the story unfolds throughout this handsome picture book.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An old saint's tale inspires a brand-new spin on the act of caring for nature. When Kevin's impoverished parents hand him over to the nearby monastery, they vow that they'll come for him when they're able. While there, Kevin learns reading, hymns, and prayers, but the only thing that assuages his longing for his parents is his love of the natural world. The nearby animals grow to trust Kevin. So when the monks tell him he must now stay indoors to pray and study quietly, he can't resist reaching his hands out a window to a blackbird. Soon the bird and its mate construct a nest in Kevin's outstretched hands. Realizing that what's happening is miraculous, the monks feed Kevin as his birds hatch, grow, and fledge. The tale ends with a wordless scene of Kevin reuniting with his parents as the whole countryside romps with the wild animals. In an author's note, Almond points out that this adaptation of an Irish legend is about a saint for our times. Lynch brings his hyper-realistic style to bear on a world of frolicsome foxes, trusting birds, and studious monks. Many images, such as one of the nest thrust toward the audience, will remain in young minds long after the rest of the book has faded from memory. Characters present white. When it comes to cultivating a love of nature, this oldest of stories has something to share with us all. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
