by Oscar Wilde
First published 1995
A magnificent statue of a prince stands high above a city, adorned with precious stones and gold leaf. When a small swallow arrives, exhausted from migration, the statue offers an extraordinary proposition: help him distribute his wealth to the city's poorest citizens. Together, they embark on a compassionate mission, stripping away the statue's jewels and gold to aid suffering children, sick people, and desperate families. As winter approaches, the swallow sacrifices its own survival to remain loyal to the statue's humanitarian mission. Their selfless acts transform the city—but at a profound personal cost that will challenge everything about human and divine notions of love, sacrifice, and redemption.
Genres: fiction, classics, 20th-century, fantasy, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: found-family, redemption
Period: 19th-Century, 20th-Century
32 pages · Hardcover · Dutton Juvenile