Striking art adds levity to the book’s anti-bullying message
Teasing brings out a bird’s inner artist.
Bob is a black, crowlike bird with a red beak and very long, skinny legs. He becomes self-conscious about his legs when he goes out for a walk and is teased by onlookers. “Eeeek! Look at those skinny legs!” comments Cat. “Oooh! Look at that funny stick walk,” says Owl. “Oh! How puny your legs are!” remark a crowd of other birds, identical to Bob except with fatter legs. Bob goes to great lengths to increase the diameter of his legs. He works out at the gym, eats a pile of sausages at the restaurant, and attempts to find clothing to camouflage his legs. Inspiration comes at the art museum, where he sees many different textures and patterns in the paintings on the walls. In a Matisse-style eureka moment, Bob realizes that by painting his beak in a multitude of art-inspired designs, he can gain public admiration for his beautiful beak, and his legs will no longer be the focus of attention. Each day he paints his beak in the style of a different artist or just with abstract bright patterns. He garners admiring comments from his previous critics, and now no one notices his legs. British artist Deuchars' expressive hand-lettering and bold, splashy ink-and-watercolor art stand out against minimalist backgrounds; such quirky details as a cat created with thumbprints charm. Unfortunately, aside from Matisse and Pollock, the inspirational sources for Bob’s designs are not named.
Striking art adds levity to the book’s anti-bullying message . (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-78067-767-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Laurence King
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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