A Single Pearl    by Donna Jo Napoli & Jim Lamarche Order:  USA  Can Hyperion, 2013 (2013) Hardcover     Reviewed by Bob Walch Children three years of age and older will love this beautifully illustrated book that explains how a pearl is formed over time inside an oyster. Like the pearl itself, the story is a multi-layered tale of how the oyster is found by a diver who then takes the beautiful pearl and sells it to a prince. The prince gives it to his wife who, in turn, saves it until she has a daughter. The pearl is then made into a necklace for the princess and becomes her favorite piece of jewelry. The underlying theme of this story is that the small grain of sand feels quite worthless and insignificant at the beginning of the narrative. 'I don't matter at all. I am worthless,' the grain of sand thinks. Although it feels alone, lost and insignificant through the first part of the story, we see that over time the little grain of sand is transformed into a magnificent, precious object that attracts a lot of attention. There's a message here, of course and depending on the age and maturity of the child you read this story to, this aspect of the pearl's life may be obvious. On the other hand, you may have to do some explaining to make the point clear. Either way, make sure to emphasize this part of the pearl's story. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews