A Song of Gladness

A man talks to a blackbird in his garden every day, telling the bird why he feels so sad. Yet, the bird offers a joyful song in return, and the song is passed from tree to meadow, from blackbird to fox and kingfisher. Carried by the wind, the blackbird’s song of gladness is conveyed into the ears of the whales in the ocean. Even the snow melts at the thought of such bright gladness, joining the sea to carry the message to the distant plains where lions roar their approval.

Finally, the man (Michael Morpurgo himself, captured beautifully by Emily Gravett) hears the song of gladness being sung by the whole earth and is able to put aside his sadness.

Inspired by Michael Morpurgo’s own thoughts about the Covid-19 pandemic and his real-life conversations with the blackbird in his garden, A Song of Gladness is a tribute to the resilience of nature that, in many cases, flourished during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. Despite humans’ terrible ability to threaten it, nature forgives us in this uplifting book, which also reminds us to take pleasure in the small things, such as the song of the birds, and may provide a conversation starter about taking a more mindful approach in our daily lives.

Gravett’s nature illustrations are as stunning as always, with some truly majestic creatures gracing the pages.