Feathers

Heather Forest's roots go deep in Eastern Europe. "This Jewish tale," she says, "attributed to Rabbi Levi Yitzhak of Berdichev, an 18th Century Eastern European Hasidic rabbi, has traveled far. It has been retold again and again by teachers and storytellers over the centuries to illustrate the power of the spoken word. Words can teach, heal, and inspire. When misused, careless words can be a cruel weapon, as anyone who has ever been a victim of a rumor knows." In this story, a woman learns that hurtful words--like the feathers blown from a burst pillow--are impossible to retrieve. Cutchin's dynamic illustrations complement the text with vivid colors and lifelike characters.