BIBI

A lyrical celebration of old age and the wisdom and love that accompany it.

Bibi, grandmother in Swahili, is the oldest flamingo in the flock, and the other birds follow her and rely on her guidance and teaching for everything from preening to standing on one leg to nest-building. Bibi greets each new chick by name, the latest being Toto (child). When the sun evaporates the lake water, Bibi leads the flightless chicks to the new shoreline while the parents fly. As they walk, Bibi reassures the frightened chicks, shelters them under her outstretched wings, and tells them stories of life on the lake. Reaching their destination, the chicks feed, turn pink, and get ready to fly. But Bibi is feeling her age, wondering if she can make the flight when it’s time for the birds to move on. Toto leads the flock in rallying around their beloved elder, showing her the same love and compassion she once showed them and echoing back her words. And though it’s clear Bibi’s goodbye to this particular lake is a final one, the last spread is triumphant, the flock flying together against a full-moon sky. Weaver’s charcoal illustrations with digital pink tinges lend a nostalgic tone to the remarkably lifelike flamingos. Backmatter fills in the facts about the real Lake Natron in Tanzania and the flamingos that migrate there to breed. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A marvelous model of respect for elders that all humans should emulate.