{"product_id":"feather-isbn-9780914671855","title":"Feather","description":"A philosophical picture book from one of China's most celebrated children's authors and 2016 Hans Christian Andersen Award-winner Cao Wenxuan. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA feather is blown across the sky, meeting various birds along the way, and asking each one, \"Do I belong to you?\".\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCao Wenxuan tells the story of a single feather who is swept away on a journey of discovery and belonging. Encountering a variety of birds, from a kingfisher to a magpie, Feather is hopeful of meeting the bird she belongs to. Again and again, she is dismissed or ignored. Only when she sees that there is also beauty in being close to the earth does fate offer a reunion... Feather is sure to charm young children with a plot at once compelling, meditative, and quietly moving. Roger Mello’s stunningly beautiful, dynamic illustrations will delight readers of all ages.\"[A] lovely and, yes, profound tale. . . Mello’s striking art makes each page a bright color, each avian portrait an evocative surprise. The book’s box like design looks special, too.\" \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e— The New York Times Book Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Mello’s artwork offers countless delights: the plumage of the birds, contrasting backdrops that make the colors blaze, and liberal use of empty space. Cao’s story has the timeless quality of a traditional folk tale. . . and it speaks to the way that desires have consequences that can’t be calculated. It’s not comfort Feather’s search offers, but truth and beauty.\" \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e— Publishers Weekly \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e(starred review)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Each bird takes center stage on the double-page spreads, a marvel of extravagant pattern against solid, vibrant backgrounds ... [A] Zen exploration of belonging and groundedness ... further enhanced by a sensitive translation and pithy, philosophical introductions by both creators—masterful storytelling.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e— Kirkus Reviews \u003c\/i\u003e(starred review)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"[A] picture book with a very thoughtful, philosophical bent... strikingly gorgeous illustrations perfectly capture the variety of birds in the world including kingfisher, cuckoo, heron, wild geese, peacock, skylark and hawk... This is a book to hand to thoughtful readers.\" \u003cb\u003e—Catherine Coyne, Mansfield Public Library, in \u003ci\u003eYouth Services Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003c\/i\u003eFeather is unlike any other picture book I’ve seen. . . nuanced and timeless in its nature. And then there are Roger Mello’s striking illustrations.\u003ci\u003e\" \u003cb\u003e— Cracking the Cover\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Feather\u003c\/i\u003e is a unique, beautiful take on the \"Are You My Mother\" story structure as a lost feather floats along, trying to find the bird it belongs to. Paired with Mello's spare yet rich and dynamic illustrations, this hopeful story of searching for belonging soars above the rest.\" \u003cb\u003e— Hannah DeCamp, Avid Bookshop\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"As Feather encounters different kinds of birds, it asks, “Am I yours?” The beautifully detailed illustrations, by the author of \u003ci\u003eYou Can’t Be Too Careful!\u003c\/i\u003e, accompany \u003ci\u003eFeather\u003c\/i\u003e on its disheartening journey to a violent climax. The book comes out in September in the US, but it’s worth the wait.\" \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e— Quartz\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The illustrations are beautiful and striking in their simplicity... A sweet story, reading like a folk tale, a story of finding where you belong and not giving up until you do.\" \u003cb\u003e— Katrina Yurenka, \u003ci\u003eYouth Services Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"[A] lovely picture book by beloved Chinese children’s author Cao Wenxuan. . . The stunning illustrations are by acclaimed artist Roger Mello.\" \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e— Buffalo News\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Award-winning Chinese author Cao Wenxuan has written a moving, timeless story, with a sensitive translation by Chloe Garcia Roberts. Wenxuan is a natural storyteller and the meditative and sagacious tale meanders gently along combining with an essence of Zen philosophy – an understanding of the meaning of life... Brazilian artist Roger Mello’s illustrations are striking... a bewitching book for all ages.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eOutside In World\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eCao Wenxuan is a professor of literature at Peking University. He is a member of the China Writer's Association as well as the Vice-President of the Beijing Writer's Association. Wenxuan was nominated and received more than 40 awards, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Chinese National Book Award by the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP), and the Golden Butterfly Award of the Tehran International Film Festival.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTRANSLATOR: Chloe Garcia-Roberts is the translator of Li Shangyin's \u003ci\u003eDerangements of My Contemporaries: Miscellaneous Notes\u003c\/i\u003e, which was awarded a 2013 PEN\/Heim Translation Fund Grant, and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Reveal\u003c\/i\u003e (Noemi Press, 2015). She lives in Boston and is the managing editor for the \u003ci\u003eHarvard Review\u003c\/i\u003e.One day, a little boy and a little girl walked by Feather. They picked her up and passed her back\u003cbr\u003e and forth looking at her.\u003cbr\u003e When they threw her back to the ground and started to walk away, Feather heard the little girl\u003cbr\u003e ask the little boy, “What kind of bird is that feather from?”\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eYes, what kind of bird do I belong to? \u003c\/i\u003ethought Feather. And from that moment on, she began to\u003cbr\u003e ask herself that question all the time.\u003cbr\u003e A strong burst of wind came along and blew Feather up into the sky.\u003cbr\u003e The feeling of fluttering high in the air was delightful.\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eIf I belonged to a bird, I could fly even higher! \u003c\/i\u003eshe thought.\u003cbr\u003e How she longed for the sky! How she longed to soar!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Feather drifted down onto a tree by the waterside.\u003cbr\u003e A kingfisher was perched there on a branch, head tilted, silently watching the water’s surface.\u003cbr\u003e Feather shyly asked the kingfisher, “Am I yours?”\u003cbr\u003e The kingfisher did not respond to her and suddenly plunged into the water. After a moment, it\u003cbr\u003e flew back up with a small silvery fish still wriggling in its mouth.\u003cbr\u003e The kingfisher flew to the tree branch again, and again tilting its head, sat silently watching\u003cbr\u003e the water’s surface.\u003cbr\u003e Feather asked the kingfisher over and over, “Am I yours?”\u003cbr\u003e But the kingfisher was so focused on catching fish it completely ignored her.\u003cbr\u003e Feather waited silently.\u003cbr\u003e At long last, when the kingfisher was no longer busy, it turned its head, took a\u003cbr\u003e long look at Feather and said, “You are not mine.”\u003cbr\u003e A strong burst of wind came along and blew Feather up into the sky.\u003cbr\u003e A cuckoo flew by alongside her.\u003cbr\u003e “Am I yours?” Feather inquired.\u003cbr\u003e The cuckoo was so focused on calling out \u003ci\u003ecuckoo, cuckoo \u003c\/i\u003eto people that it didn’t pay\u003cbr\u003e any attention to Feather.\u003cbr\u003e The wind kept blowing and Feather kept floating in the sky.\u003cbr\u003e When the cuckoo came flying back around, Feather\u003cbr\u003e once again inquired, “Am I yours?”\u003cbr\u003e The cuckoo turned its head, took a long look, and\u003cbr\u003e said, “Not mine! Not mine!”\u003cbr\u003e Feather drifted down by the side of a pond.\u003cbr\u003e In the shallow water was a heron looking for food.\u003cbr\u003e Feather asked the heron, “Am I yours?”\u003cbr\u003e The heron, focused on continuing its search, paid no attention to her.","brand":"Elsewhere Editions","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302589419749,"sku":"NP9780914671855","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780914671855.jpg?v=1767726792","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/feather-isbn-9780914671855","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}