The Yes-Bird: discussion sheet

Part Two: The Muddles · about 6 minutes to read aloud · Theme: disagreement

A toymaker tunes her son’s tin songbird, spring by spring, to agree with him. The small rusty no it finally manages becomes the start of a truer friendship.

Choose a question to talk over, or try the activity with words and pictures.

Start here

What is the first no the Yes-Bird ever sings, and what does it cost the bird?

Go further

The bird’s no is brave at the pond and wrong about the rain. How can a group make it safe to say no without believing every no?

Make something

Write three speech bubbles for the picnic that stayed sunny: the Bird’s warning, the boy’s question, and what the Bird says when its forecast turns out wrong.

Read The Yes-Bird online: youngmachines.org/read/fables/the-yes-bird/