This tender and beautifully written story about a little bird, who must make the sad decision to give up her baby for adoption because she is too young to be able to look after it properly, is matched by equally tender and beautiful black and white chalk illustrations. The little bird, who lives in a Mulberry tree realises she is soon to lay an egg, and so she prepares a nest for her baby. She takes care of the egg and is delighted with her new, pink chick. Feeding him and keeping him warm is a full time occupation for the little bird who has no father bird to help, and one night there is a storm, and the baby falls to the ground. The mother is terribly anxious and tries desperately hard to continue to feed her baby, and she asks wise owl what she should do. He explains that the baby could be given to other birds to look after, but it would mean her giving up her baby. This she feels she cannot do until another storm makes the baby wet and cold and she is unable to feed him. The wise owl explains about the different kinds of birds who might take the baby in, and she chooses to go to the seashore. Wise Owl and mother bird take the baby to the seashore where she can meet the adoptive parents, and while she is terribly sad about leaving him, she knows it is best for the baby. He grows up into a strong bird, with his adoptive parents explaining all about how he came to them and understanding about his sadness at his mother's having to give him up. It's a lovely parable in a lovely book and will help even quite young children understand their beginnings. Available from Amazon, from bookshops, or from the publisher at www.jkp.com.