Do birds talk? Of course they do! Some, as Mark Twain said, can talk a blue streak, while others have a very limited vocabulary not all that unlike humans, after all! Billy is a little sparrow who lives in sunny South Africa. In his own peculiar way he tells us a bit about himself, his great love, Sally, their children, their friends and foes. And there is Madame Helena De Troy, an old owl lady who lives in the church tower behind the tree where their nest is. Together they contemplate the meaning of life and death and when Billy finally gets the answer, it is something which also has meaning for us.

We occasionally see sparrows in a variety of places such as trees, parks, attics, and even stores. When moving, they always seem to be in a hurry. Where else do they go? What are they doing? Why do they seem so busy? How is it that we see them on more than one continent? Do they use technology? In this chapter book series, author Bettina Danielle provides fanciful answers to those questions, and others, with refreshingly lighthearted stories. The stories take the reader on a fun exploration of today's world from a sparrow's perspective. Written especially for children, the series is an entertaining way to exercise a child's imagination, increase vocabulary, and increase knowledge of the world. And, with the eBook editions on a touch-enabled device, looking up new words and places can be as easy as holding a finger on a word. This first book of The Modern Sparrow series centers around a young, single, hard-working, and level-headed sparrow who decides to go on a vacation for a change. That decision leads to a series of big events in the life of this little bird! Sharing the story with a child leads to opportunities to teach them about true friendship, true love, personal responsibility, family responsibilities, and about places they've never been.

“The content encourages us to reflect upon and evaluate the relationship between human beings and animals. This book leaves us with admiration for this feisty bird and hope for our world.” — Friends Journal Behold the most despised bird in human history! So begins Jan Thornhill’s riveting, beautifully illustrated story of the House Sparrow. She traces the history of this perky little bird, one of the most adaptable creatures on Earth, from its beginnings in the Middle East to its spread with the growth of agriculture into India, North Africa and Europe. Everywhere the House Sparrow went, it competed with humans for grain, becoming such a pest that in some places “sparrow catcher” became an actual job and bounties were paid to those who got rid of it. But not everyone hated the House Sparrow, and in 1852, fifty pairs were released in New York City. In no time at all, the bird had spread from coast to coast. Then suddenly, at the turn of the century, as cars took over from horses and there was less grain to be found, its numbers began to decline. As our homes, gardens, cities and farmland have changed, providing fewer nesting and feeding opportunities, the House Sparrow’s numbers have begun to decline again — though in England and Holland this decline appears to be slowing. Perhaps this clever little bird is simply adapting once more. This fascinating book includes the life history of the House Sparrow and descriptions of how the Ancient Egyptians fed it to the animals they later mummified, how it traveled to Great Britain as a stowaway on ships carrying Roman soldiers, and how its cousin, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow, was almost eradicated in China when Mao declared war on it. A wealth of back matter material is also supplied. Key Text Features map glossary references resources further information Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.3 Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.7 Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3 Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

His Fiancée Was the One Woman He’d Loved. Her Children Are All He Has Left. Reserved contractor Wade Sullivan never expected to fall in love with Starr Parnell or to love her three small kids as if they were his own. But that’s exactly what happened. As their wedding draws near, however, tragedy strikes–and Wade must put aside his own grief in order to help Starr’s children cope. As Wade focuses his efforts on caring for the children, he discovers that their tender, young lives give tremendous meaning to his own broken one. Then Starr’s abusive ex-husband shows up to claim the offspring who barely remember him–and Wade prepares for the fight of his life. Will Anyone Believe His Claim to Love the Children More than Their Father Loves Them? A powerful novel of loss and discovery, courage and grace, A Nest of Sparrows masterfully illustrates one man’s struggle to know when to fight, when to let go, and when to simply wait. From the Trade Paperback edition.

A visionary work that combines speculative fiction with deep philosophical inquiry, The Sparrow tells the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a scientific mission entrusted with a profound task: to make first contact with intelligent extraterrestrial life. The mission begins in faith, hope, and beauty, but a series of small misunderstandings brings it to a catastrophic end. Praise for The Sparrow “A startling, engrossing, and moral work of fiction.”—The New York Times Book Review “Important novels leave deep cracks in our beliefs, our prejudices, and our blinders. The Sparrow is one of them.”—Entertainment Weekly “Powerful . . . The Sparrow tackles a difficult subject with grace and intelligence.”—San Francisco Chronicle “Provocative, challenging . . . recalls both Arthur C. Clarke and H. G. Wells, with a dash of Ray Bradbury for good measure.”—The Dallas Morning News “[Mary Doria] Russell shows herself to be a skillful storyteller who subtly and expertly builds suspense.”—USA Today

Sally wants to see the sparrows but they wont come down from the tree.

In post-World War II London, two street-tough children attempt to build a hidden garden--an act that awakens hidden courage in the children and profoundly disrupts the neighborhood.