In How to Heal a Broken Wing, Bob Graham brings readers a graphic novel-like picture book with a powerful message. While it’s a relatively short book, the acts in this story are anything but small. The main character, a young boy named Will, saves a bird’s life when no one else seems to notice the wounded animal. Graham’s illustrations take us on a visual and emotional journey as Will and his parents nurse the bird back to health and eventually release it, never asking for anything in return.
Tza’ar ba’alei chayim, Hebrew for “preventing animal suffering,” is a way of participating in tikkun olam — a vision of people working together to repair the world. Though one person cannot accomplish this task alone, each individual good deed is a step in the right direction. We hope readers will be inspired by Will’s selfless act of lovingkindness, which contributes to repairing the world in a small but important way.
October 7, 2020