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It fell from the sky

This book has jumped the unofficial "review queue" and in my opinion, for a very good reason! I read It Fell From The Sky last night to my daughters and after I'd finished reading and we'd chatted about the characters and story-line, my six year old turned to me and said, "Mum, I think you should review this book for your website". What struck me in that moment was not simply that I'd stumbled upon another great book to share, but more importantly, that the fruits of our reading "labour" had yielded this moment where a child had found meaning in a book and felt it would be good to share with other children. I love that her discernment had identified themes of community, greed, selfishness vs generosity and making amends. The subtle messaging in this story warmed my heart... almost as much as that watershed moment in our reading journey.


Now back to this enchanting book... It Fell From the Sky, written and illustrated by The Fan Brothers, Terry and Eric, transports the reader to a magical natural world where it feels like you're quite literally a fly on the wall! The garden creatures are magnificently brought to life in monochromatic tones with the utmost attention to detail and the addition of cute little hats - creative license at its best! Splashes of colour capture the reader's attention and highlight the object of debate. The story-line follows the curiosity of an assortment of creature characters when a strange object "falls from the sky" and lands among them. Each has their own assumption as to what it is and how it got there. One night, Spider greedily builds a web and claims that it fell into his web and therefore must belong to him. The spider's greed is his downfall, as he goes on to build a Grand Exhibition to show off the "Wonder of the Sky" and charge an escalating entrance fee to all visitors. The outcome was one very wealthy spider and a community of disgruntled customers. It was only when an unexpected disaster struck, that Spider learned that all the money in the world can't buy happiness. It took weeks of loneliness, remorse and a lesson from the stars in the night sky for Spider to realise true contentment could be found with a mere act of selflessness.


Title: It Fell From The Sky

Author: The Fan Brothers - Terry & Eric

Illustrator: The Fan Brothers - Terry & Eric


What's to love about this book:

  • The whimsical illustrations that combine a novel mix of greyscale monochrome and bursts of colour to lure the readers attention.

  • Subtle messaging around important themes and morals.

  • The characterisation is charming to say the least - insects with personalities and matching hats!

  • An enjoyable read for young and old, with plenty of talking points.


Favourite quote:

"The night, as it sometimes does, shared a secret. He gazed up at the sky and the stars shone down. They didn't hide their light from anyone. Not even a selfish spider. He knew what he needed to do."


Messages:

  • There is no meaningful and lasting reward for selfishness

  • All the material wealth in the world cannot buy happiness

  • Everyone deserves a second chance

  • We can learn much from nature, if only we pay attention

  • It is through giving, that we receive


If you fancy adding this to your home library you can purchase a copy below:

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