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One magpie,lots of stuff,and a few friendly miceshow us that less ismore.This innovative and spare picture book asks the question: When is MORE more thanenough? Can a team of well-intentioned mice save their friend from hoarding toomuch stuff? With breathtaking illustrations from the award-winning Brian Lies, thisbook about conservation wraps an important message in a beautiful package.
Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
July 25, 2022
As an aging maximalist with many, many collections, I have nearly reached my saturation point. Lucky for me, however, I live in a nice big house, and not a nest. I can still squeeze in a few more shiny things that catch my eye.
Pity this poor magpie who has -ism forced upon her when her collections become too much!
But, what's a gal to do when so many things spark joy?
This tale of few words is made super special by the wonderful artwork of .
Pity this poor magpie who has -ism forced upon her when her collections become too much!
But, what's a gal to do when so many things spark joy?
This tale of few words is made super special by the wonderful artwork of .
March 22, 2017
A nicely told tale of a magpie and mice and how the two gather a few, some, many, and then enough objects.
February 2, 2013
Brian does lie. My favorite thing about this book is how easily and quickly the neo-feng-shui message falls apart. 1. The mouse got the magpie started. Hypocrite. 2. A magpie is supposed to collect trinkets. It's his nature. 3. (And the best of all) The detailed pictures of -stuff- are the kind I want to get lost in--brilliant! It was like looking at what my grandma used to call her 'crazy jar'--that clear quart jar filled to the top with little found items from all over. The deep draw of the pictures makes me fall in love with the magpie's OCD. And really, does the magpie learn his lesson because the mice decide to tell him how much is too much? What happens tomorrow? I don't believe the lesson for even half a second! I usually wouldn't give a book like this a 4, but I also really enjoyed how the story was told entirely with quantity words and phrases--we often have arguments at home about where 'a few' ends and 'several' begins.
April 7, 2012
Like many of us, magpies are attracted to shiny things, and they often pick them up and take them to their nest. They love keys, pennies, beads, blocks, marbles, even chess pieces. But sometimes too much of a good thing can be disastrous, and the magpie in this story goes way overboard. When disaster strikes, his mice friends rescue him and help him choose a few favorite items. What a great idea for a book! In a world where the vehicles we drive and the houses we inhabit seem to get bigger and bigger, and it seems as though we can never have enough, this is an effective reminder about conspicuous consumption and hoarding. The magpie seems to get no pleasure from the items he snatches; for him, the act of stashing them in the nest where they end up all jumbled together is what matters. The acrylic paint and colored pencil illustrations are delightful too, showing a band on the bird's leg and the many twigs woven together to form his nest. Combined with the minimal but effective amount of text, this one delivers its message powerfully.
August 21, 2016
Great for discussion. Your perspective determines your appreciation.
Is it heavy-handed and too obvious, or is it necessary? Is the first mouse a pusher offering a gateway drug, or is it a magpie's nature to collect? Is it a collection, or a hoard? Do we suspend disbelief and ignore the fact that magpies eat mice?
Is it heavy-handed and too obvious, or is it necessary? Is the first mouse a pusher offering a gateway drug, or is it a magpie's nature to collect? Is it a collection, or a hoard? Do we suspend disbelief and ignore the fact that magpies eat mice?
May 18, 2015
A fun little story of a hoarding magpie who learns the value of Less is More If you look cloesly, you will see some interesting items indeed.
January 2, 2013
I fell in love with this gorgeous book when it caught my eye as I walked into my local independent bookstore. It is a book of few words, complex illustrations, and a modern message about collecting "much too much" stuff. While adults may best identify with the book's underlying theme of consumption (or overconsumption, as it were), children will relate to the qualities of friendship some concerned mice show when they help their friend magpie extract himself from the weight of his vast collection of miscellaneous objects. From an educational standpoint, More has the potential to foster all sorts of thematic discussions. However, it would also be a wonderful tool to use with young students learning basic language skills because the illustrations are so rich with varied objects. Overall, this book would make a fabulous addition to any illustrated book collection, regardless of whether the collector is four or ninety-four. One of my absolute favorites! (Review originally published by me on Shelfari, Oct. 10, 2012)
February 8, 2012
Spare text and intricate illustrations are artfully designed in this stunning picturebook. When a magpie with nothing is given a marble, he begins to collect things. But collecting soon turns to hoarding and a fateful fall that causes him to realize that maybe he only needs a few things. Though a simple concept, Brian Lies' illustrations expand upon Springman's concise text. The magpie, and the mice he interacts with, are expressive and the myriad of objects the magpie collects are astonishing. Readers will pour over this book as they pick out objects from legos to hairclips, pacifiers to guitar picks. The details and dynamism bring to mind Wiesner's Art and Max, and like Wiesner's books, I wouldn't be surprised to see More considered for a Caldecott.
October 23, 2019
A magpie starts collecting and overdoes it. Some mice come to the rescue and convince the magpie that less can be more.
Love the illustrations, quite expressive and lots for the reader to pour over.
Love the illustrations, quite expressive and lots for the reader to pour over.
September 2, 2023
Me: Does this resonate at all with you?
7yo: No.
7yo: No.
October 4, 2012
A magpie collects interesting items and brings them to his nest. A field mouse brings him a pretty marble, and then he has something. He finds a Lego block and a coin, adds them to his nest, and then he has a few. The addition of some keys and beads give his "more". And more, and more, and lots, and plenty. Soon he has too much and the branch bearing the weight of his nest gives way. Now mapgie has less. But enough. Yes, he has just enough.
I love this simple, beautiful book for helping our littlest littles gain an understanding of quantities and number sense. The beautifully-detailed illustrations full of humor are a bonus. I do have a question that remains unanswered: what is the significance of the band around the magpie's leg? Obviously, he has been banded by scientists somewhere--the number on the band is even clear--but there is no explanation. I'm curious.
I love this simple, beautiful book for helping our littlest littles gain an understanding of quantities and number sense. The beautifully-detailed illustrations full of humor are a bonus. I do have a question that remains unanswered: what is the significance of the band around the magpie's leg? Obviously, he has been banded by scientists somewhere--the number on the band is even clear--but there is no explanation. I'm curious.
November 2, 2011
Most excellent in story and illustrations.
Recommended for the youngest readers, as a point-and-read story, and for early concept lessons.
You must read/see it for yourself. It's lovely.
Summary:
A tracked and tagged bird appears on the first spread forlorn and without "things". When a small mouse gifts the bird a small, round marble, the bird begins collecting as the text builds with phrases indicating that the collection is growing. "A few, several, more and more and more". When the bird ends up a hoarder and the collection becomes to much to sustain, a clean-up and reallocation of resources ends in a flight of freedom. The message is clear--we have accumulated to much. Keep only the treasures and fly free.
Recommended for the youngest readers, as a point-and-read story, and for early concept lessons.
You must read/see it for yourself. It's lovely.
Summary:
A tracked and tagged bird appears on the first spread forlorn and without "things". When a small mouse gifts the bird a small, round marble, the bird begins collecting as the text builds with phrases indicating that the collection is growing. "A few, several, more and more and more". When the bird ends up a hoarder and the collection becomes to much to sustain, a clean-up and reallocation of resources ends in a flight of freedom. The message is clear--we have accumulated to much. Keep only the treasures and fly free.
August 21, 2012
This is an accessible way to introduce a number of topics PLUS it works, as it should, as its own story. Gorgeous illustrations that carry the narrative well.
One quibble: the full two-page spreads and the graphic-novel-style smaller panels work so well that I wish the "Enough!/More than enough." spread was worked over two 2-page spreads, or a smaller offset panel next to a wider one. This is the only spread that works like this in the book and it took me a minute to process how to read it.
Also, I am really, really intrigued by the band on the bird's leg. Kind of indicates the bird itself was collected by someone else, doesn't it?
One quibble: the full two-page spreads and the graphic-novel-style smaller panels work so well that I wish the "Enough!/More than enough." spread was worked over two 2-page spreads, or a smaller offset panel next to a wider one. This is the only spread that works like this in the book and it took me a minute to process how to read it.
Also, I am really, really intrigued by the band on the bird's leg. Kind of indicates the bird itself was collected by someone else, doesn't it?
May 31, 2012
A bird begins with an empty nest. It seems to lack something so he finds a marble and puts it there. As the bird finds more and more things, he has to build more and more nests to hold everything. A book about what we need and want. When do we have too much or not enough?
Sparse text with an abundance of repetition make this a great read aloud for ELLs. This is a good book to lead students into creating lists of things they own. Then, file them into categories of "Need" and "Want".
Sparse text with an abundance of repetition make this a great read aloud for ELLs. This is a good book to lead students into creating lists of things they own. Then, file them into categories of "Need" and "Want".
July 8, 2012
What a beautiful, fantastic, perfect book. The illustrations partnered with simple text had myself reading this book four times happily with my son. A crow gathering things and getting too much... such a perfect message. Reminds me of some other books I've read recently with characters who have way too much and learn to just pass things on to others! This book deserves accolades. Acknowledgements. Awards!!
July 11, 2012
A beautifully illustrated, charming and deceptively simple story that at teaches children the difference between one, a few, several, lots, etc. as a little magpie continues to collect more and more and MORE stuff. Finally, his little mice friends help him realize that sometimes A LOT is really TOO MUCH and that sometimes one can be content with just a few ;-)
October 24, 2012
Fantastic illustrations -- realistic, yet at times it seems the bird is communicating directly to the viewer -- seems to wink, or be smiling . . . yet it is a very realistic bird. (So surreal style?) Imaginative and humorous and fun. Illustrates: more, enough, plenty -- too much -- way too much, then back down to less -- not so much, yet still . . . enough.
November 9, 2013
I was attracted to the magpie on the cover, and the illustrations throughout this book didn't disappoint. It's a lovely meditation on what happens when a bird collects and collects and collects. What's too much? Just a little more? No? Less? I liked the message, and I really liked all the things there were to look at as the magpie fills the nest! This would be fun with a little one on your lap.
March 21, 2012
With minimal text and beautifully-rendered illustrations by Brian Lies (of "Bats at the Library" fame - a personal favorite), this story sends a powerful message about embracing a culture of
need
versus a life of want.
April 1, 2012
Simple texts that ask "how much is too much?"
Natural ladders to Walden.
I really like the composite illustrations within the book. It's fun to look through the piles to see what the magpies are collecting before the field mice come in to intervene.
Natural ladders to Walden.
I really like the composite illustrations within the book. It's fun to look through the piles to see what the magpies are collecting before the field mice come in to intervene.
May 4, 2013
Minimal text. 45 words to be exact. Love the concept of less is more. But what drew me was the relationship/friendship of the magpie and the mice. The illustration, done in colored pencil and acrylic paint, is wonderful, detailed and captivating. It will keep the reader's eyes busy.
June 23, 2013
Great lesson about keeping it simple conveyed, well .... quite simply. :)
The illustrations had depicted a lot of emotion that helped tell the story. Lots of details in theitems to pour over for K-2 crowd.
The illustrations had depicted a lot of emotion that helped tell the story. Lots of details in theitems to pour over for K-2 crowd.
January 26, 2012
"Simplify, simplify, simplify!" --Henry David Thoreau
March 29, 2012
A magpie hoards treasures in his nest until he reaches the breaking point. With the help of his mice friends, he learns to simplify. Told in few words with charming illustrations.
April 18, 2012
Great book for hoarders :)
Really cute though, think I might try it for storytime. It only has one or two words per page so it allows the kids to make up the story kind of themselves.
Really cute though, think I might try it for storytime. It only has one or two words per page so it allows the kids to make up the story kind of themselves.
April 24, 2012
less is more
December 12, 2012
Beautiful illustrations with one word per page.
January 18, 2021
"Az kâfi midir?" sorusunun bir saksağanın bakış açısı üzerinden cevabı. Çizimler hoş, hikâye pek kısa...
April 9, 2013
From nothing to having too much. When do we have enough?
July 15, 2018
Amazing artwork by Brian Lies. As someone with a BFA in illustration myself, I am fascinated at his ability to be so accurate, paint what are detailed still lives of masses of objects, yet also bring dynamic life and movement.
Using few words, but Springman has created a unique concept book that might first be seen as teaching abstract language - which it does well enough to use in a classroom. I wish this book had been around when I was teaching. Words like more, less, something, several, plenty, lots are abstract to young children, Phrases like a few, more and more and more, much too much, way too much... she uses these daily speech patterns which Lies illustrates so perfectly while integrating a visual story about a magpie - known so well for their love of collecting things, and the outcome of having too much. Underlying all this is a deeper message about our need for things, stuff, and how it impacts our lives in damaging ways. Brilliant - not preachy at all!
The illustrations are so beautiful, and the rich details make for a book one can study for hours and days at a time.
I also have a theory about the bird being clearly tagged, and this tag being on the cover... and just wrote Brian Lies - hope to see an answer to my interpretation before posting it.
Using few words, but Springman has created a unique concept book that might first be seen as teaching abstract language - which it does well enough to use in a classroom. I wish this book had been around when I was teaching. Words like more, less, something, several, plenty, lots are abstract to young children, Phrases like a few, more and more and more, much too much, way too much... she uses these daily speech patterns which Lies illustrates so perfectly while integrating a visual story about a magpie - known so well for their love of collecting things, and the outcome of having too much. Underlying all this is a deeper message about our need for things, stuff, and how it impacts our lives in damaging ways. Brilliant - not preachy at all!
The illustrations are so beautiful, and the rich details make for a book one can study for hours and days at a time.
I also have a theory about the bird being clearly tagged, and this tag being on the cover... and just wrote Brian Lies - hope to see an answer to my interpretation before posting it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
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