review 1: This is my first experience with the Persian story/poem of abandoning pre-conceptions and leisure to go through trials to find answers within yourself. The story is much abbreviated and while the tale is fairly common, it is a story I like hearing so I may seek out a longer adaptation or perhaps the full translation. I think I would have preferred the book if it had provided a little more from the original poem. The artistry is at times interesting and beautiful, but most of the time I found it just okay. I guess it's not my style. review 2: I think this is one of my favorites of Peter Sís's books. I've noticed that a lot of his children's book-type books are really overcrowded with text and images, making them difficult to navigate and understand (his book a... morebout Darwin is a prime example of this...I made it about 10 pages in and gave up). The Conference of the Birds is a perfect balance of minimal text and lush illustrations, with both supporting each other beautifully. It's also printed on nice thick paper with some texture to it, which adds to the layered effect of his illustrations which incorporate watercolor/ink splatters and layers of colors and line work. less
