Grandmother's Pigeon

Full of imagination and fantasy, this picture book tells the story of a close-knit family of parents, children and a grandmother. While at the beach one day, grandmother decides to sail for Greenland on a porpoise. A year later when she hasn't returned, the others start to clear out her room where they find a bird's nest with three eggs. Then the eggs hatch! The baby birds are pigeons and an onithologist tells everyone that the babies are passenger pigeons (extinct since 1914). I won't spoil the ending for those who haven't read it. This story was Louise Erdrich's first book for children. The acrylic and colored pencil illustrations by Jim LaMarche add to the magical quality of the story. There is a lot to think about and talk about in this story.