The Bird Feeder

A heartfelt story about a grandmother and her grandchild at the end of her life, The Bird Feeder by Andrew Larsen and Dorothy Leung is inspired by his mother Dorothy Larsen.

A grandmother moves in when she becomes sick and she and her grandchild enjoy watching the birds in the bird feeder she brought from her house. They chat together and draw together. When grandma moves into a hospice, their grandchild is nervous at first but they slowly move back into their routine of watching, chatting and drawing until the grandmother dies and the drawings remain.

Get out your tissues when reading this story! It’s a gentle and loving story about end of life care and the special bonds between a grandparent and their grandchild. For adult children who are not only parents to young children but also caregivers to their aging parents, this book helps to explain to their young ones what is happening, why things are changing. I love the special connection to the birds and drawing that the two share. Andrew Larsen has made a career of taking everyday occurrences and making them magical. There is a beautiful magic in this book. It’s comforting, simple in text, and easy for children to access. 

Dorothy Leung’s illustrations are equally as comforting. Simple, fall toned colours fill the two page spreads featuring the child, their grandparent and the beautiful birds that connect the two.