book bonanza: albert

Apr 13, 2011

Becky recommended this book on her blog, so I put it on our reserve list at the library. Yesterday I read it to my three youngest and they loved it. Today, at Fisher’s request, I am reading it at Story Station. I love the gentle language, the way it deals with a debilitating fear, and the silliness of the tale. Albert is a man who is reluctant or terrified, hard to know which, to leave his home. Every day he checks the weather and listens at his window to the state of affairs outside his apartment. He likes the good noises, but inevitably hears some “bad” noises and decides it’s not such a good day to go outside afterall. One day, while he is sticking his arm out the window to check the weather, two birds start building a nest in his hand. Albert doesn’t quite know what to do because he doesn’t want to hurt the birds or their nest. He resigns himself to holding it and hold it he does for the next twelve days until the babies are born. Then he holds it some more until the babies grow up enough to leave the nest. When his nest holding duties are done, Albert decides he will leave his house and he does! Something in the process of caring for another gives Albert the courage to face the world.

Fisher loved how the papa bird feeds Albert. Annesley loved the silliness of it, and Keziah and I loved the whole story. Check it out…we think you will love it, too!