IODE Children's Book Award, 1991 (Bedard and Regolo Ricci)
 
Long, long ago there was an Emperor of China whose palace was quite the most wonderful in all the world. But when visitors came from afar, it wasn't the palace that impressed them. Instead, they spoke of the song of the nightingale that lived in the woods by the sea. When he heard this, the Emperor had the bird brought to him and he kept it in a golden cage and treasured it more than all he possessed.

Then one day a parcel came to the palace - a gift from the Emperor of Japan. It was a mechanical nightingale made of gold and silver and precious jewels. It was much prettier than the real bird, and it could sing the same tune time and again without growing tired - just as long as there was someone to wind it.
 
Bedard's graceful use of language gives new life to the story, wrapping us in the poignant world of Andersen's tale. In the same way, the delicate colours and details of the Ricci illustrations provide just the right complement to Bedard's words.
- Canadian Children's Book Centre News

Text and illustrations combine to make this book an adventurous and appealing one, which offers the young reader a wonderful taste of past Chinese culture.
- Canadian Materials

Ricci's drawings enrich this timely and tender story in a volume to be treasured for years.
- The United Church Observer