Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
From her nest inside "a dusty crack" high in Jerusalem's Western Wall, a sparrow once again "awakens to voices singing and church bells ringing," writes Tebo, making her picture book debut. Looking down, the bird observes people as usual gathered for prayers, but today is different for Sparrow, who knows that "something is going to happen." To prepare, she journeys through the city seeking food and nesting materials. Watercolors by Lewis (Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem)--balancing the spontaneity of field sketches with polished landscapes--capture the play of her feathers against sunlight and ancient stones. Finally, Sparrow discovers what the nest needs: prayer notes, paper wishes that worshippers have tucked into the Wall's crevices. When Sparrow's egg arrives ("so big, she can hardly believe she had carried it inside for so long"), it touchingly mirrors the prayers as an expression of hope in the world. Includes contextualizing end notes. Ages 4--8. (Aug.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3--Maybe every kid needs a moving story about hope. While living in an ancient city, Sparrow wakes one morning knowing that change is coming. This small sparrow feels something big and important is about to happen. After gathering things to make her nest softer, she will experience emotions she has never felt before, and a wondrous event that will change her life forever. The rhythm and cadence of the verses are simple, with the use of repetition of words helping to move the story forward and evoke emotion. Beautiful watercolor illustrations, ranging from earth tones that reflect the city of Jerusalem to the beautiful, vibrant colors of hope towards the end, help to capture the emotional journey of the sparrow and the life in the bleak landscape to the amazing discovery and change with hope for the future. Excellent back matter provides fascinating facts about the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where Sparrow lives, explaining its history spanning 2,000 years, its significance to multiple faiths, and the tradition of placing paper prayers in its cracks, giving great information to older readers and to teachers that expands the knowledge and understanding of this book. With its powerful message about hope in the face of change, the story is supported by rich cultural and linguistic back matter and illustrations. VERDICT Sparrow is suitable for young readers exploring emotions and change, and the end notes provide valuable context for older readers interested in history, culture, and language.--Richard Winters
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Review by Horn Book Review
Set at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, this picture book follows a sparrow who lives in "a very old wall, in a dusty crack." She wakes daily to the sounds of church bells and singing voices. One morning, her "belly full," Sparrow senses something momentous, knows she must prepare, and soars over the city in search of what she needs. It's not the dropped bread near the bakery, the crushed oranges at the fruit stand, or the drifting balloon. When she returns to the wall, she sees it: "something small and fluttery and bright." She tucks the found scrap into her nest. After a moment of "fear. Then pain. Then joy," she lays an egg, not sure what it is, only that it is "filled with...hope." Lewis's soft watercolor illustrations use muted tones to evoke the reverence of the setting, with glowing warmth entering the final spreads as new life arrives. An author's note explains the significance of the Western Wall (which is never explicitly named in the text) and the notes that people of many faiths tuck into its cracks, "a gesture of belief in a better world." This ode to renewal and quiet faith is both a glimpse into life's sacred moments and a tender meditation on motherhood and hope, exploring the unseen forces that guide even the smallest lives toward something greater. Julie DanielsonSeptember/October 2025 p.54 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A little bird gets ready for something big. Something is different today--Sparrow can feel it in the fullness of her belly. She flies around Jerusalem, looking for something special to bring back to her home, a nest in a crack in the Western Wall. She sees the usual--people praying, bread and fruit stands, a ritual handwashing station--but none offers the special object she is seeking. Finally, Sparrow finds pieces of paper with prayers written on them, tucked into the wall's crevices by its human visitors, and takes some to soften her nest in anticipation of the special event: laying an egg "so warm, so big, she can hardly believe she had carried it inside for so long." The poignance of this story will likely be apparent to adult readers, particularly those who recognize the inclusion of holy sites significant not only to Judaism but also to Christianity and Islam (among them the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Dome of the Rock). Children may not fully understand the book's metaphor: a new life representing hope (sparrow sounds like spero, which means "I hope" in Latin) in a place associated with religious tumult and conflict. Still, Tebo's writing flows beautifully, pairing seamlessly with Lewis' exceptionally gorgeous, impressionistic watercolors, making this book a strong choice for reading aloud. Backmatter provides context for some of the places seen in the book, as well as for the tradition of stuffing prayers and wishes into the Western Wall's cracks. Just lovely.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
