Helen’s Birds
Helen’s Birds by Sara Cassidy is an illustrated graphic novel published by Groundwood Books in 2019, featuring 44 pages in English. This wordless narrative explores themes of friendship, loss, and hope through the experiences of Saanvi, a young girl who shares a deep bond with her elderly neighbor, Helen. Following Helen’s sudden death, Saanvi faces the emotional turmoil of change as her neighbor’s home is sold and demolished, leading to the disappearance of the birds they once cared for together.
Readers will find a poignant depiction of Saanvi’s journey as she navigates grief and ultimately discovers a way to honor her friendship with Helen. The story unfolds visually, showcasing Saanvi’s efforts to create a welcoming environment for the birds that once frequented Helen’s yard. Through her actions, she transforms her sorrow into a meaningful tribute, bringing hope back into her life. This beautifully illustrated edition captures the essence of emotions and the connection between nature and human experiences, making it a thoughtful exploration of themes such as loss and renewal.
Official synopsis Publisher
From Sara Cassidy, acclaimed author of A Boy Named Queen, comes a stunning wordless graphic novel about friendship, loss and hope.
For as long as Saanvi can remember, she has been friends with her elderly neighbor Helen. They play cards and garden together and, especially, care for the wild birds that visit Helen’s yard. When Helen dies suddenly, a “For Sale” sign goes up, and movers arrive, emptying the house of its furniture and stripping the yard of its birdfeeders. The sparrows and hummingbirds disappear.
Soon a bulldozer tears down Helen’s house. All winter, Saanvi walks numbly past the property as developers begin to build condos. Then one spring day, amid the dust and turmoil of construction, she finds a weathered playing card wedged between two rocks. She holds it to her chest, and finally sobs.
After a tearful night, Saanvi wakes inspired. She slathers peanut butter on pinecones to hang from tree branches, hammers together a birdhouse from scrap wood and drags a kitchen stool outside to hold a bowl of water. Finally, she retrieves a nest that has been unraveling on Helen’s old property and places it in a tree in her own yard. Saanvi’s yard soon fills with Helen’s birds. They have a home again.
This beautifully illustrated, wordless graphic novel shows Saanvi’s journey through close friendship, then hollowing loss and change, until she finally finds hope.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
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