The Eagle & the Wren

Jane Goodall retells a beloved story from her own childhood—a fable that illustrates how we depend on each other for help and support throughout our lives

 

When the birds of the world squabble about who can fly the highest, the owl devises a contest to settle the question. As one by one various contestants drop out, only the eagle remains, soaring high above the earth. However, the wren, stowed away in the eagle’s feathers, suddenly appears and uses him as a launching pad to fly even higher. When they arrive back on the ground, the owl drives home the story’s moral of togetherness and teamwork. Goodall continues the theme in an afterword, explaining how “we all need an eagle” and sharing insights on those who have played that role in her own life. Reichstein’s illustrations of the winged creatures are meticulously crafted, and the timeless, sweeping expanse of blue sky along with the heavenwards-slanted text creates a soft visual echo of the story’s soaring motif.