by Marianne Dubuc
Canadian author and illustrator Marianne Dubuc has a gift for creating beautiful and deceptively simple picture books. In Front of My House (2010) and Animal Masquerade (2012) each masterfully engaged young listeners as they tried to figure out what was going to happen next. The Lion and the Bird is another lovely addition to the picture book collection. It is gentle and quiet and moving and beautiful. Lion finds an injured bird just as autumn ends and winter begins. He takes bird in, cares for her, and together they enjoy a peaceful season. Of course, with spring comes the return of the other birds, and Lion’s friend departs. Lion wonders if she will return again with the autumn chill. Through sparse text and subtle illustrations, the emotions are strong, clear and relatable. Ages 4 and up.