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THE RARE BIRD

Name: THE RARE BIRD
Author: Elisha Cooper
ISBN: 9781250364395

by Elisha Cooper ; illustrated by Elisha Cooper ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 24, 2026

Pure imagination.

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A day in the life of a house cat…who thinks he’s a bird.

The book begins like so: “The Rare Bird flew through the forest, / flying so fast he knocked the leaves off the trees.” Actually, none of that is true. There is no bird, there is no forest, and there are no trees. But there is a house cat with a big imagination: The animal jumps from a curtain to a paper-lantern light shade as if they are tree branches before proceeding to cavort “under the splashing waterfall” (a running shower) and to leap “into the gurgling pond” (a toilet). On the cat goes, having a glorious time, and with no awareness that his antics might be irritating the house’s tan-skinned human residents. (“He sang his morning song to the delight of everyone in the forest.”) Loose pencil and watercolor illustrations, ranging from two-page spreads to vignettes, tell the real story—the words “he caught a worm” correspond with a thumbnail of the cat pawing a dog’s worm-shaped tail. Marvelously, Caldecott honoree Cooper doesn’t have to explain that the text is a feline fantasy; the art does the work exquisitely. The cat’s wild imagination even infiltrates his midday nap: Breathtaking wordless spreads find him dreaming that he’s a bird flying around outside with his feathered friends. As for the cat’s nighttime dream, that’s a whole different animal.

Pure imagination. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026

ISBN: 9781250364395

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
HERE IS A BOOK
by Elisha Cooper ; illustrated by Elisha Cooper

- BOOK REVIEW
EMMA FULL OF WONDERS
by Elisha Cooper ; illustrated by Elisha Cooper

- BOOK REVIEW
YES & NO
by Elisha Cooper ; illustrated by Elisha Cooper

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IT'S MY BIRD-DAY!

From the Pigeon series

by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2026

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.

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Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!

Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 31, 2026

ISBN: 9781454999621

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE MONSTER AND PUPPET SHOW!
by Mo Willems & Kate Micucci ; illustrated by Mo Willems & Kate Micucci

- BOOK REVIEW
THE PIGEON WON'T COUNT TO 10!
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

- BOOK REVIEW
WILL THE PIGEON GRADUATE?
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

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HEDGEHOGS DON'T WEAR UNDERWEAR

by Marissa Valdez ; illustrated by Marissa Valdez ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2025

Sure to have little ones giggling.

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Jacques is a hedgehog with a big secret: “I wear real, bona fide underwear.”

Our narrator received a mysterious package one day; an illustration shows a pair of underwear tied to a balloon with a note “from the Universe” floating down into Jacques’ burrow. Hedgehogs don’t wear underwear, however. Will Jacques be shunned? Jacques worries but comes to a decision: “I have to wear them. When I do I feel special.” Determined, Jacques, who’s been invited to a party, makes a dramatic entrance, with undies in hand. Jacques’ declaration (“I WEAR UNDERWEAR”) is met with remarks of dismay, before another hedgehog opens up about similar fears and shows off a pair of cowboy boots. More hedgehogs introduce themselves with their own confessions. The story ends with Jacques unveiling a painting of the underwear in a gallery filled with hedgehogs wearing all sorts of attire. Though the book is simple in plot, characters, and setting, it wins in its balance of bathroom humor, dramatic storytelling, and celebrations of individual expression. French words are peppered throughout, adding to the fun without detracting from the story for those unfamiliar with the language. The cartoonish illustrations brim with fun; Valdez relies heavily on geometric shapes (triangle noses for the hedgehogs; huge circles for their eyes). Details such as speech bubbles and recurring turtle and snake characters contribute to the outlandish humor.

Sure to have little ones giggling. (Picture book. 3-5)