The Bird Within Me
The Bird Within Me
Illustrated by Sara Lundberg
Translated by B.J. Woodstein
SHORTLISTED FOR THE CILIP KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL 2021
LONGLISTED FOR THE UKLA BOOK AWARDS 2022 in the 3-14 Information Book Category
"The book provides an intense visual experiences and provides readers with shifting perspectives on Berta, her life and her often conflicting sense of priorities concerning her mother’s deteriorating health and her own burgeoning interest in art. The way the story draws upon different artistic styles and media is effective and adds to the wide-reaching nature of the story. The emotion captured within the pictures is stunning and there’s a sense of unfulfilled longing which captures some of the sadness and grief. The format of the book almost feels like an artist’s sketchbook itself adding to the intimacy of the story. A feast for the eyes!"
What do you do when it feels impossible to live the life that is expected of you? What do you do when you long for something that you can hardly name?
Berta is a twelve-year-old girl growing up on a farm in a small village in northern Sweden in the early twentieth century. She loves drawing and painting more than anything else, and secretly dreams of being an artist. But her mother is sick and Berta is needed on the farm. She knows that she needs art, that she has to express herself. But how can she make her dreams a reality?
Based on the paintings, letters and diaries of the Swedish artist Berta Hansson (1910–1994), The Bird Within Me is an exquisitely told story of family and obligation and following your dreams, which will appeal to all ages.
Afterword by Alexandra Sundqvist
FREE TEACHER NOTES written by Martin Galway
TEACHING IDEAS created by CLPE for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Award Shortlist 2021
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR SARA LUNDBERG for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Award Shortlist 2021
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This is a piece of art! Beautiful story and pictures. It gives such a joy to look, feel and read it. Well done Book Island!
This is an absolutely stunning book that educates, celebrates and illuminates readers about the life of a young Swedish artist. I studied this book with a group of 12 year olds as part of the Greenaway Award Shadowing scheme and it was their favourite book from the selection. They particularly loved the way that the artist's hands are depicted in the illustrations and how the young Berta finds an escape through art. After reading the book we researched more about Berta Hansson's life and work as none of us had heard of her before.
This is such a devastatingly beautiful book! Grief, thwarted ambition, family obligations and incredible art-work all in one.
This beautifully illustrated and translated picture book is a wonderful story told from the perspective of Bertha and how she felt, trapped on the farm, finding pleasure in her art. Berta shares her art with her mum in the hope it will make her better. When her mother dies, we see the local doctor, who also loves art, encouraging her to go to study art but this takes time for her father to agree as she is not only needed on the farm but living in an era when education was not seen as a priority for girls.
This is a story inspired by the paintings, letters and diaries of the Swedish artist Berta Hansson (1910 –1994) and has a wonderfully satisfying afterword and mini biography at the end by Alexandra Sundqvist telling us the real-life story about Berta Hansson to enable us to see the links to what really happened to her. Book Island have also taken this one step further with an extra note to tell us a little bit more about the artist’s life after she left the farm. It is both moving and inspiring to find out that Berta went on to be an artist and lived a wonderful creative life.
The illustrations are stunning and they give the book the feeling of an art gallery of paintings throughout as well as bringing the narrative into colour and depicting the emotions that Berta has throughout the story. The Bird Within Me is an outstanding story with themes of family, responsibilities and following your dreams.
This is the touching early life story of the Swedish artist Berta Hansson (1910-1994). Her family farm in Sweden traps both Berta and her art, particularly after the death of her mother from TB. It is lovely that the ‘bird within’ is released by the end of the book and Berta gains the freedom she craves. The afterword is both sad and inspirational. This is a beautiful book, economical with words in order that the illustrations tell the story. Warmly recommended to readers aged 9-12.
Ages | 5+/Adult |
Format | Hardback |
Origin | Sweden |
Pages | 128 |
Publishing date | March 2020 |
Size | 175 x 215mm |