A children's picture book
by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer
The Outsider, an award-winning memoir about his late father’s struggle with
schizophrenia and homelessness, which Newsday called "a remarkable gift," "an
extraordinary book." Also inspired by his father’s life, Broken Beaks is the moving story
of a sparrow with a broken beak who is befriended by a homeless man. Broken Beaks
teaches children the importance of empathy while humanizing the experiences and
suffering of the homeless and mentally ill.
First published in Australia in 2003, Broken Beaks is illustrated by world-renowned
Australian illustrator, Robert Ingpen, winner of the Hans Christian Anderson Medal.
Broken Beaks is the winner of the prestigious Brazilian book award, the Monteiro Lobato
Award. Broken Beaks has been translated into Portugese, Chinese, and Korean. In 2008,
The National Teachers’ Association in Taiwan purchased 3,000 copies of the Chinese-
language edition of Broken Beaks for Taiwan's schools and libraries.
Broken Beaks was a 2006 Washington Post KidsPost Book of the Week:
"The little sparrow is one of the most beautiful birds in the park. He's fast, too. When
people drop crumbs of food, he is usually the first one there.
One morning he awakens to find that part of his beak has broken off in the night. Without
it, he can't pick up food. It doesn't take long for the once-handsome bird to begin looking
scraggly. As he gets weaker and dirtier, people don't want him around. The other birds
don't, either.
A strange man living in the park -- a man as thin and dirty and unwanted as the sparrow --
becomes his only friend. What do they see in each other?
This short story, beautifully illustrated by Robert Ingpen, takes minutes to read. But its
powerful message about people who are homeless and mentally ill -- or those who are
simply different -- will linger with you for a long time."
--Washington Post, KidsPost Book of the Week, May 14, 2006
More reviews:
"Enchanting, moving, and beautifully written. Broken Beaks is a brilliant way to help
young children begin to understand the tragedy of the homeless."
--Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE
Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace
"Masterfully written and tenderly illustrated, this exceptional children's picture book
conveys important messages on several levels that everyone, young and old, should
read time and time again."
--Kendal Rautzhan, nationally syndicated columnist, "Books To Borrow, Books to Buy"
"In this unique picture book, the author uses the simple device of an injured sparrow to
lead the reader gently into the story of a man who is homeless. The image of the broken
beak is well chosen, as it is a simple flaw, easily explained, but still mysterious.
Something just snaps, and the bird's life is never the same again. Watching this perfect
bird become broken, dirty and homeless prepares us for the introduction of the man
experiencing homelessness, and allows the reader's identification with the sparrow to
easily empathize with the equally broken man. Broken Beaks is about the strength of the
human spirit, and is rich in detail and gentle simplicity."
--National Resource Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness
Broken Beaks was reviewed in the September 2006 issue of Edge of the Forest. You can
read the review here.
Broken Beaks is only available in the US from Amazon.com. You can order it by clicking
on the link, below: