My Beautiful Birds

My Beautiful Birds

Picture
Suzanne Del Rizzo's My Beautiful Birds had its genesis in its
author/illustrator's quest to find a way to talk to her own children
about the Syrian Civil War. When she read about a refugee camp boy
who was comforted by the wild birds he could see even there, she found
her story line. Her creation combines a powerful and poignant
narrative with the most amazing three dimensional art one can imagine.
"I remember filling my pigeons' food bowl, then--in a flash--my
neighborhood, and all that was home...gone.
And my beautiful birds?"
Sami, his family, and their neighbors must flee their bomb
demolished Syrian city. After several days walking they arrive at a
refugee camp. Family members and neighbors settle in the best they can.
Sami deeply misses his pigeons. He isn't ready to play with the
other kids. He can't enjoy stuff he formerly did. But then one day he
makes a beautiful discovery.
Del Rizzo used clay and other materials to create three
dimensional illustrations. Rocks, shrubbery, grains of sand, and the
fabric of clothing all give the illusion of texture. The skies are
especially spectacular. But the piece de resistance is the beautiful
birds, their feathers elaborately detailed, their faces oh so
expressive.
My Beautiful birds gives parents a touching way to explain to
children that Syrian refugees are not terrorists and future terrorists
who "hate our way of life, but families like their own caught in
terrible circumstances beyond their control. It's a lesson too many
adults have not yet learned.
On a personal note, last night at Wilson House we had a great dinner
and a talk about Citizens' Climate Lobby led by my friend, Gerry.
It's the most hopeful approach I've seen yet toward solving the
humungous peril of climate change.
A great big shout out goes out to the Citizens' Climate Lobby crew for
their ability to engage people on both sides of the political aisle
and develop a plan that will be good for us all (except maybe some
companies who won't any more be able to get away with screwing the
environment under it). You can find them online at www.citizensclimatelobby.org
jules hathaway



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