GOLDFINCHES

GOLDFINCHES by Mary Oliver. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet.

Let's kick this post off with a simple statement. If the name Melissa Sweet shows up on the cover, there is a high probability it's going home with me! I am an absolute fan of her collage oriented artwork. Pair into that a subject like goldfinches, and it is a no-brainer for me. I got a glimpse of this book before it was out, and it immediately went onto my To Be Purchased Booklist as soon as it was available. Goldfinches is an absolute showstopper. (What else would you expect from a Pulitzer Prize winner and a Caldecott Honor winner, right?) I will say on reviewing this book, the adequate title for it would have been Goldfinches and Thistles, but that doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it? The truth is that this book covers just as much about thistles as it does about the goldfinches that consume and use them in their nests.

So what do you do with a book like this? First off, you sit down with your child(ren) and savor the poem and the artwork. You think about it, examine it, and let it settle into your mind. Second, you allow it to motivate you to get outside with your kids and begin exploring. Goldfinches are a beautiful year round bird to observe and enjoy. During the winter, I love watching them crowd on the ground beneath my feeders picking up the seeds. In this season, they are not the bright, flashy yellow that makes the male so easy to spot. They become a dull, dark olive color. It would be super easy to track down the answer to why this is. In the summer, find thistles! Thankfully (or maybe unthankfully if you have to work in the middle of them), they are not hard to find! I love to go up to the farmer's fields above our home. The fields are flanked with tons of thistle plants. They are beautiful to see in their purple glory, but when they turn to cottony fluff they are covered with the high energy balls of flying gold that gather their seeds. watching them is so fascinating and entertaining. A true moment of joy for the beholder!

HEADS UP - There is one tiny heads up. In the Artist's Notes at the end, Melissa Sweet talks about Mary Oliver (who is deceased) and mentions in passing her partner. It is a quick mention without definition.