A review by sandraagee
How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird by Jacques Prévert, Mordicai Gerstein

5.0

How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird is an adaptation of a poem by French author Jacques Prevert. Translated and illustrated by award-winning illustrator Mordicai Gerstein, it is a beautifully poetic story that is not so much about healing or even birds, but about the power of art. The story provides instructions on capturing a bird to paint, beginning with directions to sketch an inviting birdcage to attract the bird. The fantasy of this procedure is whimsical and filled with child-like creativity as it celebrates the creative process and creative solutions to difficult problems. The illustrations are beautifully rendered and seem to call to mind the very portrait that the poem calls its readers to paint.