Little Home Bird

Written and illustrated by Jo Empson

A bird resists change until a new home brings unexpected joy.

5.8/7 Bookroo experts·3.9/5 Goodreads · 252 ratings

36 pages

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon.

Bookroo's summary

Little Bird adores his cozy home, filled with familiar comforts. But when his brother insists they must leave, Little Bird faces a daunting choice. Can he find happiness in a new place? This charming tale explores the courage to embrace change and the surprising joy it can bring, perfect for young readers who cherish the idea of home.

From the publisher

Little Bird loves everything about his home. He’s surrounded by his favourite branch, his favourite food, his favourite view and his favourite music. Why on earth would he ever want to change, even when his brother tells him that they must? Discover how Little Bird ends up finding happiness in his new home from home in this beautifully illustrated picture book. Perfect for all children who love home, however many they may have.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 36
Reading age: 3–7
Audience: Picture

Themes & topics

Books about change Books about home Books about fall Books about moving Books about facing fears

Good to know

Stories behind the story

Little Home Bird is a story that plays on so many levels. Where did the idea originally come from and at what stage did you realize that this idea was going somewhere?

All my books are conceived from real life events and memories with a sprinkling of exaggeration and imagination, combined with my love of nature. The original idea for Little Home Bird is based around my experiences as a child of having quite a few different homes, my Dad was in the Royal Air Force and so moved around a lot and lived both in the U.K and overseas and when I was very young my parents separated. I wanted to express that home is where your heart is and it is the loved ones in your life that create ‘home’ wherever you are, and not material things. This book went through many cycles and about six drafts before I was happy with the final story. The final version is quite different to the first draft, mainly because I was trying to cram too much into one story, so I set it aside for a while and really thought about what was the message I really wanted this book to convey and then things started to flow much more clearly and I simplified the story right down to the core of the message.

What guides or references did you use while creating the illustrations for Little Home Bird?

I always start by doing lots of sketches from both life / nature and also watching wildlife videos.

When was your favorite time reading Little Home Bird aloud? Why?

My favorite time reading Little Home Bird aloud was during The Children’s Bookshow, which is a wonderful organisation which hires theatre spaces so hundreds of school children can see an author perform a reading from their book. I have a super talented friend called Liza Stevens who is a fabulous puppet maker. She made me the most incredible Little Bird puppet which flies across the stage carrying his nest of favourite things and with the help of children from the audience dressed up as the dog, the shepherd and the porcupine, we all act out the story of Little Home Bird. It brings the story alive and having the children taking part makes it very special to me.

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.8

out of 7

6.0

“This lovely story about Little Home Bird captures perfectly attachment to the familiar, the uncertainty of going to a new place. I love that Little Bird goes with the flow and figures out what she can do to be comfortable with the new situation. The beautiful illustrations are saturated with color. I especially love that LIttle Home Bird's new home is just as colorful as the one she is used to and that the favorite things she carries toward her new home become favorites for others along the way. Reading this story could spark wonderful conversations about what we each love best about our homes and about what makes a house a home.”

Grammy

Trusted reviewer

5.8

“This book is absolutely stunning! The colors and sweet illustrations totally make this book, even though I love the text, too. In this book, little ones will learn about the migration of birds as well as the lesson that home is where the people you love are, and there are a lot of wonderful places that can feel like home. :)”

B is for Bookworm

Trusted reviewer

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