Goldfinches, writing by Mary Oliver and art by Melissa Sweet. Viking, Penguin Random House. 2026. $24.99 ages 5 and up

 

"One more thing
I want to mention 
before the pages
actually begin.
Writing poems
for me but not
necessarily for 
others, is a way 
of offering
praise to the 
world.

            - Mary Oliver"

This poem is but one example of Ms. Oliver's love for the natural world. It is the first shared in a book for children. In it she pays tribute to goldfinches, thistles, and their relationship, each to the other. While exploring open fields, a woman and her dog (presumably Mary) relish the beauty of their surroundings. There are goldfinches in the trees, and a marsh where brilliant pink thistles grow with wild abandon. It is said the finches are waiting for the long days of midsummer when the thistle head is filled with black seeds.  

Only then do the birds 'drop from the sky' to gather the silver down that explodes from those thistle seeds. How else to line their nests? Others join the woman and her dog to watch as the finches build a home for their carefully laid eggs. It happens every year. Once hatched, those tiny new birds fill their protective basket as parent birds provide food and safety. The woman sits against a tree with her dog, a pencil and her notebook, sketching and adding words that might someday become a new poem of praise to the world. 

What a perfect pairing to have the incredibly gifted artist Melissa Sweet illustrate Ms. Oliver's words. She does so in the most beautiful way; using watercolor, gouache, pencil, vintage and handmade papers, mixed media collage, thistle down, and a bird's nests. The compositions are skillfully placed on each page to ensure careful observation that invites all readers to stop and pay attention, as Ms. Oliver would want us to do the same anytime we spend time in nature. The text is clearly placed within uncluttered space for her words to shine. The palette of rich yellows and pinks is inherent in the goldfinch feathers and the richness of the thistle pods.  

It has the feel of the notebook an avid observer of nature's wonders would keep. The collages are lovely in every way; they showing setting, color, scientific information, nest building, a bird's life cycle, and the joy found in exploring nature. 

"Have you ever been so happy in your life?"

Back matter includes the full text of the poem, Ms. Oliver's bird list from 1991, and a valuable author's note.