THE WANDERING FEATHER

A diving hawk on the hunt for a mouse loses one of its beautiful feathers. When it lands on the ground, a squirrel snatches it up and uses it in her nest. The wind shakes it free, sending it high above the treetops until it lands in a woman’s hat. And so it goes, flying and floating until a girl spots the feather during her beach walk. She takes it home and uses it as a part of her handmade dream catcher, just the right permanent home for the wandering feather. An author’s note describes the cultural significance of the dream catcher to Ojibwe and other Indigenous cultures. Thanks to the feather’s constant relocation, the story bounces along with it from place to place, keeping the pace moving and readers curious. The illustrations nicely capture the feather’s sense of motion, from swirls as it falls to a tremble as it blows. The images are outlined in thick, black lines and make use of different layouts to great effect. The girl is drawn with light tan skin and long black hair in a single braid. The ending is lovely and unexpected; the feather’s final resting place is one of reverence and peace.