King of the Sky

Product Information

works well as both a stand-alone story and a starting point for discussing important political issues of migration. It will encourage and reassure children struggling to fit in - from those feeling worried about starting a new school to refugees from another country, making a new life in a strange place. First, with the grey, rainy landscape that one finds in Wales, and also in row houses so common in mining villages like the one my dad grew up in, and the image of boy and man sitting at the table eating Mrs. Together, the boy and Mr Evans train Re del Cielo and the rest of the flock by sending them to stations up the rail line - a little further every time. Together they pin their dreams on a race across Euorpe and the special bird they hope can win it: King of the Sky.

It's hard not to give away the whole plot of the story, and I won't, but through racing the pigeon the boy learns to feel like he belongs in this country despite being an immigrant. They show much more than is conveyed by Nicola’s carefully chosen words, allowing the reader to create their own stories within the story. It is about memories of war and conflict, the settling of a newcomer in a town, as well as old age, and ultimately hope and friendship. The text informs that he feels alone, and the accompanying evocative and dreamy illustrations tell the same story, with an emphasis on work and hollow spaces, faceless houses, and isolation.

The birds link the boy with home - a connection that deepens when the old man gives him a pigeon to hold. With little connection to where he used to live, the child is lost and uncertain, only feeling that he belongs at the small reminders of his previous country.

Nicola Davies's seemingly boundless enthusiasm for studying animals of all kinds has led her around the world--and fortunately for young readers, she is just as excited about sharing her interests through picture books. The books Star in the Custard, Shampoo and Seawater, and Stories from Abergele Street are not written by this Nicola Davies. Sunday Telegraph * "Davies' book is a tender, beautiful thing and is, at its core, an immigration story. Endorsed by Amnesty International King of the Sky is a poignant tale of loss and hope, from Nicola Davies and Laura Carlin. This experience has been fantastic primarily for the children, the school and also for me (professionally).At first he feels like he doesn't fit in - everything looks, sounds, and smells different, and no one speaks his language. The book is a gentle meditation on loneliness, courage, and finding your place in the world when you feel out of place. An Editor’s Choice in hardback, the story of a young immigrant boy and an old man who races pigeons offers a very humane and timely slant on current world events.