Here’s an oldie but goodie that I found on the shelves of my library.  It can be easy to dismiss books, because they aren’t current.  In this case, you would miss a wonderful story.  The dedication, “To those of us who have ever been lost or lonely” is touching.  This book really moved my students and led to great discussions about the value of friendship.

The once was a painter who was very poor.  He had one favorite painting of a strange and wonderful bird.  Then, a wealthy man comes and wants to buy the painting.  The painter does not want to sell his favorite painting.  When the wealthy gentleman offers more and more money, the painter, who needs money desperately, accepts the money and sells his painting.  The wealthy man hangs the bird painting in his fancy house.  The bird, who is magical, misses the painter and flies out of the painting.  The bird begins a long search for the painter.  In the meanwhile, the wealthy man goes to the painter’s house demanding his money back, because the bird left his painting.  Now, the painter has no bird and no money.  At last, the bird finds its way back to the painter, and the painter promises never to sell the bird painting again.