One Word and a Bird

One Word and a Bird by Stephen Michael King (Scholastic) HB RRP $26.99

ISBN 9781761520860

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

One Word and a Bird is a multi-faceted picture book that will capture the imaginations of an audience aged 5 years and older. The narrative follows a genderless and nameless child on a solo journey ‘a long way from home.’ During their adventure, the child searches for a singular word that describes how they feel or what they are experiencing at that moment. Using their extensive vocabulary, they list a few striking synonyms, but nothing seems quite right. The child meets some animals along the way and despite the language differences they make a connection and join in the journey. Finally, his search for words and meaning ends when he returns home and finds what he is looking for.

This heart-warming tale conveys that love and kindness do not need words, they are felt with the heart. Beautiful moments and wonderful connections are happening all the time whether we have the precise words to describe them or not. What is most important is that we stay present to fully experience them.

The illustrations are created using watercolour and ink and a soft colour palette. The artwork appears as a combination of spot illustrations, single pages, and double-page spreads. The captivating endpapers and a scattering of wordless double-page spreads will encourage conversation and interpretation.

One Word and a Bird is a multi-layered narrative that is highly recommended for an audience who likes to think critically and creatively about what they read. As well as a beautiful story to read aloud, this book would be a great resource to use in the primary classroom when studying literary devices, synonyms, and tier two vocabulary.