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FABULOUS FINISH: Baby Wren and the Great Gift


Written by Sally Lloyd-Jones
Illustrated by Jen Corace
Zonderkidz, 2016.  Picture Book.

Baby Wren is inside her little nest in a big canyon.  As she ventures out, she meets marvelous animals that do extraordinary things--kingfishers that dive into the river, ring-tailed cats that run up the rocks, sunfish that swim and splash in the water, and eagles that soar high in the sky.  But the baby wants to do something wonderful too.  She soon discovers her special gift and shares it with her new friends!  The combination of Lloyd-Jones' prose and Corace's beautiful watercolor and pencil illustrations is a lovely tribute to self-acceptance, nature's majesty, and the power of gratitude.

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