The Way of the Birds
My daughter Grace, was only six months old when we began the WADERBIRDS journey. On our return, I realised that baby Grace probably had no more idea where we had been for the last three months. It could have all seemed like a long trip to the supermarket.
What would she remember of crossing the world following the flightpath of the Curlew?
Or of being welcomed by the tangata whenua, spiritual guardians, of the Manukau Harbour?
Or of building giant puppets in the kitchen of Mr Minogucci’s Sushi factory?
Or of meeting the man who speaks the language of the birds?
So, I wrote THE WAY OF THE BIRDS for Grace and for Brenna, Beth Shelton’s daughter who also travelled the way of the birds before she could walk..
Illustrated by Shane NagleCover blurb
Come close. Listen.
This is a story about a girl and a curlew...
...a girl who speaks the language of birds, and a curlew on the long migration from it's birthplace.
Travel the way of the birds, over islands and oceans, following the wetlands across the world, as child and bird together make their precarious journey towards maturity.
Meme McDonald's evocative story lets you look through the eyes of a bird, to see with a new sense of wonder.Awards
Short-listed Wilderness Society Environment Award 1997; adapted for animation by Twenty/20 Production Company winning Best Film (Class C) Cinanima International Animated Film Festival Portugal 2000.
DOWNLOAD AND VIEW AN ANIMATED CLIP FROM THE WAY OF THE BIRDS
copyright meme mcdonald 2002 
