Still, cute and clever, and if it gives some prophylactic friendship pointers to children not yet networked, here’s hoping...
An unlikely avian friendship is threatened by an obsession with social media in this follow-up to Nerdy Birdy (2015).
Big slouchy Vulture and Nerdy Birdy, tiny and brown with big, round eyeglasses, are best friends, though they’re very different. Nerdy Birdy loves playing video games, while Vulture loves snacking on dead things. Together, they enjoy taking goofy pictures of each other, making silly faces, and making fun of each other’s lunch. One day, Nerdy Birdy discovers an amazing new game. It’s called Tweetster; it does awesome things. After a week, Nerdy Birdy has over 500 new friends across the globe, but he doesn’t seem to notice the friend right in front of him. Vulture gets bored and flies away, but joining Tweetster herself restores common ground between the friends. But when Vulture logs onto the site, she finds a picture of herself and an insulting caption from Nerdy Bird. This thoughtless act causes Vulture to flap away for good. Nerdy Birdy reaches out for sympathy to his virtual network, but the response is underwhelming. Determined to find Vulture, Nerdy Birdy searches high and low, finally finding her and declaring, “One real live you is worth a thousand Tweetster friends.” Reynolds’ friendship fable is straightforwardly told. Davies’ lively and imaginative pictures, in pen, ink, and watercolor, consistently delight. But are very young readers, at whom the book seems aimed, using social media?
Still, cute and clever, and if it gives some prophylactic friendship pointers to children not yet networked, here’s hoping they’ll remember them. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-62672-128-9
Page Count: 42
Publisher: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say.
A dog-loving child encourages a less-than-enthusiastic younger one to imagine they’re both canines.
From the first declaration—“I’d be a big dog! And you’d be a little one!”—readers know who’s calling the shots. Initially, the protagonists cavort off the page and through the neighborhood together, performing doggy capers such as tail wagging, stick carrying, and dirt digging. But by the time they encounter a multitude of like-minded creatures at the dog park, the disgruntled small pup is exhibiting out-and-out rebellion: “Being a dog is YOUR idea! Sometimes I HAVE IDEAS TOO!” The narrative wraps up with the younger child pretending to be a different animal entirely—cleverly foreshadowed through subtle details in the illustrations. Even the endpapers—lively silhouettes of dogs in the beginning and many different animals in closing—extend the theme to suggest the imaginative possibilities of pretend play. Cheerful, lightly hued colors fit the whimsical mood, while expressive body language allows the art to tell the story with a minimum of words. Ending on a surprising note, with a sweet compromise between the two main characters, the tale gives both kids the freedom to embrace their own preferences and styles—while still enjoying their game.
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780316581721
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
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