Tiny Patient

A girl and her grandmother find a small injured sparrow in their yard. Taking it inside the house, handling it with care, they feed it, nurse it and make a soft cotton nest on the windowsill, where the ``tiny patient'' can see the trees and other birds. And when the wing that was injured is healed, the bird flies away. Pedersen's tale is carried along on tender, spare phrases that offer telling glimpses of the relationship between the girl and grandmother, revealed in the ways in which they care for the bird. Softly lighted scenes in the pastel-colored paintings reveal long shadows of late afternoon sun or the bright cast of midday; the birds look like flowers against the angles of a nearby birdhouse. Quietly and quickly, this gentle tale casts a pleasurable spell. Ages 4-7. (Apr.)