The Song of the Swallows

by Leo Politi

Other authorsLeo Politi (Illustrator)
Paperback, 1987

Status

Available

Call number

POLITI

Publication

Aladdin (1987), Edition: Reissue, 32 pages

Description

Sad when the swallows leave for the winter, young Juan prepares to welcome them back to the old California Mission at Capistrano on St. Joseph's Day the next spring.

User reviews

LibraryThing member mrs.mackey
"The Song of the Swallows" is a book about a boy who becomes friends with the gardener of his village. He learns from the gardener that every St. Joseph's Day, in the spring there is a group of swallows that comes to the mission. They stay until late summer. The boy decides that he wants some
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swallows to come to his house so he builds a garder complete with a small pool to attract them to his house in the spring. He is pleased when all of his efforts attract two swallows to his house.

This book has pretty illustrations, but I didn't really care for the story itself. I liked how it ended with the boy attracting his beloved swallows to his house.

For the classroom, I would discuss with my class whether or not any of them have birds that come to their house. I would see if any of them have birdhouses. I think this would be a good story to make pinecone birdfeeders with pinecones, peanut butter, and birdseed.
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LibraryThing member SFM13
Leo Politi, author and illustrator, was born in California, and raised in Italy. Later as an adult, he returned to California, and lived in a Los Angeles, Mexican neighborhood. His artwork reflects his multicultural life. The illustrations in the story are made with tempera and alternate between
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full color and a washed-out paler shade. In this book the story and the illustrations have Spanish detail, incorporating language and images of the famous Mission San Juan Capistrano. There is a song included that tells about the sparrows that return each year on St. Joseph’s Day.
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LibraryThing member JillianWilliams
Juan is a young boy who visits his friend Julian in the Mission church gardens in the village of Capistrano. Juan loves to visit with Julian in the beautiful gardens and Julian tells of the stories of all the Mission churches around the lands. Julian tells Juan of all the beautiful plants that he
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takes care of and shows Juan the beautiful Swallow's who build their mud nests beneath the roof beams of the church. Juan loved the songs that the Swallows sung. Julian tells Juan that every spring the Swallows come on St. Josephs Day. Juan notices that the birds are noisier than usual one late summer day and Julian tells Juan that the Swallows will be leaving us soon. Juan is very sad to see the Swallows go. Juan waits through the long winter and soon spring comes and Juan waits for St. Josephs Day when the Swallows will return. The town holds a celebration and the Swallows finally show up late in the evening. Juan is very happy to have the Swallows back.

This was a great multicultural book. Throughout the book the author would inject the Spanish language into the story. I learned many new Spanish words in this book. The book also has a song at the end of the book that you can sing.

An extension idea for Song of the Swallows would be an introduction to another language. This would be a good tool to use when introducing a different culture to younger children. With the song at the end of this story it would be fun for the boys and girls to learn the song and sing it together as a class.
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LibraryThing member odonnell
This is a gentle picture book about Mission San Juan Capistrano and "las golondrinas" (swallows) that return every St. Joseph Day in the spring. It won the Caldecott medal in 1950 and I remember this book fondly from my childhood. However, it paints a rosy picture of the missions and will have to
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be balanced with alternative texts.
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LibraryThing member Cfmichel
This delightful little tale is about two friends, Juan and Julian who together ring bells at the Mission of San Juan Capistrano on St. Joseph's day to welcome swallows as they return from the sea on St. Joseph's Day. I love the details of the illustrations. A very nice book overall, would be great
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for 3rd grade.
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LibraryThing member hcurrey
This book will require some discussion, as it is quite dated and does not present the mission system in all honesty. It can be used, but it must be compared to what really happened with the Native Americans who were enslaved. Could be part of a missions unit, seasons, or animal behavior unit.
LibraryThing member Whisper1
This is a gentle, peaceful story. The setting is the coast of California at the San Juan Capistrano mission. Each year on St. Joseph's Day, the community celebrates the return of the swallows.

Juan, a young boy, often visits Julio the gardener of the mission. Together they observe the birds and
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enjoy the ebb and flow of the life of the sparrows and the return and then leave, and then another year the cycle begins anew.

The illustrations are clear and pretty, but lack the depth of some recent Caldecott winners.

There is a rich blending of cultures, including both Spanish and English words.
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LibraryThing member ssmith93
Compared to most of the books I have read recently this is the most solemn story. The story is soothing and calming because of the soft illustrations. It tells of a sweet boy making friends with swallows and building a garden so they will return each year. The story promotes friendship as well as a
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sense of self worth. Although the story may be a bit outdated, the theme of friendship reigns true across all generations and cultures.
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LibraryThing member wichitafriendsschool
A young boy, Juan, meets a gardener and bell-ringer at the Mission, Julian, and asks questions about Capistrano. The gardener tells Juan the story of the swallows and how they always come to Capistrano during the warm spring and summer months, and how the Mission is a significant part of California
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and Native American history. Most importantly, the story emphasizes the kindness to nature and animals. The Song of the Swallows reveals that a part of history does indeed exist in the stories that are told. And for Juan, he happened to find it just down the road from where he lived.
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
This lovely picture book tells the story of the Swallows of Capistrano, who return each year on St Joseph’s Day, to build their nests and have new chicks.

Juan is a boy who loves to wander the gardens of the mission, who are tended by Julian. The older man teaches the boy the song of the
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swallows, calling them by their Spanish name las golondrinas. Helping Julian in the gardens, and watching his beloved swallows, Juan learns about nature and the cycle of life. Julian also tells him a little of the history of the Spanish missionaries who built the mission with the help of the native people, and in return taught the Indians several skills, such as making shoes, or milling grain.

The detailed illustrations are beautifully rendered. Full of the soft light of a summer evening, they give me the same feeling of peace as a walk through a garden. I can practically hear the tinkle of the fountain, or the twitter of the birds, and smell the roses.
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Awards

Caldecott Medal (Medal Winner — 1950)

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

1949

Physical description

32 p.; 7.78 inches

ISBN

0689711409 / 9780689711404

Barcode

1116

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