This is a very realistic original picture book. The author turns his attention to the northwest of China, where strong winds and sands dominate the sky, and tells a touching story that depicts the scene that "when the sand advances, humans retreat; when humans advance, the sand retreats." The hero of the book is a boy called Shawa, who is good friends with the magpies on a white poplar. He has been curious about the magpies' nest and wanted to know what it looks like inside, but he has never had a chance. Finally, his curiosity is satisfied after the white poplar is destroyed by a sandstorm and then falls. Surprisingly, there is water, the source of life, inside the nest where magpies fly away and their eggs are broken. Nature gives Shawa a life lesson with its double face of tenderness and grimness.
The book, with its concise and powerful narrative and liberal painting style, integrates paintings with texts, in which the scenery of the northwest, the mighty power of nature, and the simplicity and warmth of personal relationships have all been vividly expressed. It makes readers consider the relationship between humanity and nature from a small but large perspective: humans are both small and great in a harsh natural environment. Only by respecting nature and learning to live in harmony with nature can we have a peaceful and happy life. This book is a beautiful hymn to nature and humanity.
