Song of the Swallows facts for kids
Song of the Swallows
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| Author | Leo Politi |
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| Illustrator | Leo Politi |
| Country | United States |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Scribner |
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Publication date
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1949 |
| Media type | |
Song of the Swallows is a special children's book written and illustrated by Leo Politi. It was published by Scribner in 1949. This book won the famous Caldecott Medal in 1950 for its amazing pictures.
Contents
The Story of Juan and the Swallows
The book tells the sweet story of a boy named Juan. He lives in a house made of adobe, which is a type of sun-dried brick. His home is very close to the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano in California.
Juan is good friends with Julian, an older man who works as a bell ringer and gardener at the Mission. Julian teaches Juan about the Mission's history. He explains that it was founded by Saint Francis and his brothers, especially Father Junipero Serra.
A Love for Birds
Both Juan and Julian deeply love the swallows, also known as las golondrinas in Spanish. They don't want these beautiful birds to leave the Mission. Julian often saves small pieces of bread in his pockets. He and Juan then feed these crumbs to the many birds that visit the garden.
The garden is full of life! You can see hummingbirds, sparrows, and white doves. But the swallows are the most special to Juan and Julian.
Swallows and Saint Joseph's Day
Every year, swallows make an incredible journey. They fly all the way from South America to California to spend the summer. They usually arrive around Saint Joseph's Day, which is March 19th.
Juan dreams of having swallows nest in his own garden. During his vacation time in the spring, he works hard to plant a garden. He hopes it will be a perfect home for a family of swallows.
A Dream Comes True
On Saint Joseph's Day, Juan's dream finally comes true! Swallows begin to nest in his garden. Juan and Julian are so excited that they ring the bells of Mission San Juan Capistrano. This alerts everyone in the village to the swallows' return.
The swallow families also find homes in the arches of the old Mission. One day, a baby swallow falls from its nest. Juan quickly helps the little bird. Its parents do not reject the chick after Juan saves it.
The village gets ready for Saint Joseph's Day with celebrations and special clothes. Juan sings a song called "Las Golondrinas." Later, the children join Juan in his garden and sing "The Swallow Song" together.
At the end of the story, Juan returns to his adobe house. He watches the swallows that have nested in his rose bush near the Mission. He knows they will always come back to Mission San Juan Capistrano each spring. He can even hear Julian singing the swallow song that the children also sang.
