THE BEST NEST

Loosely based on an un-cited folk tale, this avian fable seems to extol the benefits of listening carefully to instructions, but actually promotes the opposite. As only Magpie knows how to build a good nest, the other birds ask her for instructions—but some fly off at each stage, thinking they’ve learned all they need to know. Only Oriole stays till the end, which is why, to this day, Oriole and Magpie have strong, beautiful nests while, for instance, Killdeer and Whippoorwill lay eggs on open ground, Starling’s nest is messy, etc. Mueller leaves readers to draw their own conclusions, which is likely to result in some confusion as the various nesting styles have demonstrably served the all-American cast well enough. Neidigh renders the birds with fair accuracy, but doesn’t pay close attention herself, as Robin’s eggs are nestled in a cozy nest from the start. A large closing section of additional facts and quizzes can’t boost this past the two (at least) earlier single versions of the tale already available. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)