Two Parrots

A plucky parrot living in the home of a wealthy merchant appears to have everything: the love of his owner, the best food, and a golden cage. But, despite all this, the parrot is sad. The merchant will do anything to make his parrot happy! But will he be willing to set his beloved pet free?

Rashin’s colorful and lively illustrations bring a fresh and distinctive perspective to this thoughtful classic about what is most important in life.

Rumi (Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī) was a Persian mystic and poet in the 13th century.  Living in the time of the Crusades, his daily life was filled with both political and social turbulence.  Thematically, his work focuses on unity with the divine.  

I absolutely loved the illustrations in this book!  Rashin's use of color provides bold, exciting characters with their chance to shine!  I particularly love that each page is filled with detail, but it isn't too busy or over-crowded.  There is plenty of room to let the reader's eyes wander and wonder.  This is imperative in a picture book!  The translation is good--the writing style is simplistic and easy to read.  It has the feel of a fable or folktale in that it imparts wisdom and shares a simple truth.  I truly enjoyed this book.  Check it out!

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  Thanks, NetGalley!