Reviews: (by author)

Taravant, Jacques. The Little Wing Giver. Illus. Peter Sis.New York: Henry Holt and Co., 2001. $14.95. ISBN 0-8050-6412-5. 32 pp.

The Little Wing Giver is a folk-tale explaining how the different creatures of the earth got their wings, how waves came to be in the ocean, and how there came to be angels.   A little boy with a basket of wings on his back walked the earth giving wings to any creature that wanted wings. He gave wings to birds, to insects, and even to an old broken down windmill. As he passed out wings, he grew weary and fell asleep beside a tree. While sleeping, a storm blew his basket of wings into the ocean. According to the story, the waves in the ocean are the lost wings flapping around, trying to break free and fly away. When the boy woke, he came across a caterpillar and gave the caterpillar flower petals for wings, since he had no more wings to give away. The boy falls asleep again and none of the creatures can wake him. A magpie attaches wings to the little boy and he flaps his wings and rises to heaven. When God sees the boy rising through the clouds, He is inspired to create angels.

This story has a soothing quality to it, ending with everything being peaceful and calm. It seems a little simple and the plot is basic. The fact that the boy died in his sleep might be completely overlooked by a child, and therefore the message of heaven might also be misunderstood. Altogether, though, it was a nice story.

Recommended
Holly Boland, May 2004

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