Spider Sparrow

Spider Sparrow is a book of quietness and stillness, in an age that hardly exists today.Author Dick King-Smith, who also wrote Babe, creates this book as his first one where the human animal is the main character. It takes place in England on a farm at the beginning of World War II. Tom and his wife had wanted a baby of their own for years. After giving up on the hope they could, Tom found a baby in a sheep's feeding trough. He quickly brought the baby to his cabin, and his wife was eager to care for him. They raised the boy, and found that he was slower than the other children. They homeschooled him, and gave him a job on the farm. He was to scare the blackbirds away from the winter wheat fields. He hit metal with a stick to make a loud noise.
This book is about the kindness of the farmhands in Spider's Life, and the love and devotion his parents gave to him. Even though he didn't do well in school, he was gifted with animals, and was able to exactly replicate their various sounds. He blossomed and grew like other children, but the difference with Spider was his pure joy of life. Even though a child has differences from the norm, there is still a wonder and talent every child possesses. This book reminded me of the importance of simplicity in life. One of my favorite books of all time!