By Meghan Sullivan
All across the UK this Sunday a lot of us will be celebrating our mothers. Perhaps we’ll buy them some lovely flowers or cook them Sunday lunch. It’s a special day for parents and children to enjoy together. For children need their parents as much as their parents need them. They need love and support to grow.
It’s also an important day because mothers are special. They’re the ones who hold us when we are crying, celebrate our achievements with us, and are often our number one fans. They listen to us when we are excited and offer us wisdom when we are confused. When I started secondary school I found the transition extremely difficult. I went from a tiny school filled with friends and memories, to a large confusing one swarming with unfamiliar faces. It was overwhelming. The only thing which helped was my mum who, after a long day at work, would hold me as I sobbed. She told me to have patience; soon those unfamiliar faces would be familiar. She gave me the advice I needed.
In Tahmineh’s Beautiful Bird, Tahmineh’s mother gives her some wonderful advice which plants seeds of creativity. When Tahmineh sees a beautiful bird, she can’t stop thinking about it. She even gets in trouble at school! But she knows that she cannot capture the bird; a caged bird won’t sing. Her mother has the perfect answer: Tahmineh can capture the memory of it. Our mothers find solutions to the most difficult problems, and this particular solution leads Tahmineh to weave a beautiful piece of artwork which wins first-prize.
The mother in Tahmineh’s Beautiful Bird and my own mum did one of the most important things a mother can do. They nurtured their children, guiding them and allowing them to grow into their own decisions. Just look at the beautiful illustration by Hoda Haddadi. The mother envelops her child with love, protecting them. Her love nourishes the child but never traps it.
Meghan is the Publisher’s Assistant at Tiny Owl
Buy Tahmineh’s Beautiful Bird
- Read an interview with Hoda Haddadi
- Check out this lovely review of Tahmineh’s Beautiful Bird by Terry Potter
- Read about Tiny Owl books empowering girls
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