OPAL'S SPRINGTIME BIRDHOUSE

Onomatopoeia relentlessly pursues some industrious campers as they strive to create the most imaginative birdhouse—ever.

From the “pitter-patter” of Damien’s roof to the “cling-clang-jingle jangle” of Simon’s bells, noise trails the diverse crew as birdhouses spring up everywhere. Everywhere except in Opal’s workspace. No matter how hard she tries to come up with an innovative design, the light-skinned young girl ends up giving up on one idea after another until she decides to page through the books the counselors have left on the table for inspiration. She excitedly discovers that different birds inhabit different kinds of nests, but which bird will be attracted to her plain but functional abode? Anticipating the announcement of the winner, she is sorely disappointed to learn that she is not selected. Who wants a ribbon for “Good Effort”? She installs her birdhouse in a tree but feels frustrated, tossing the ribbon out her cabin window. Hey, wait—is that a bluebird in Opal’s birdhouse? Matheis’ short, readable paragraphs follow Opal from the highs of expectation to the lows of defeat—and back up again to the satisfaction of having created a working birdhouse. Arrayás’ perky illustrations populate the story with a diverse cast of energetic characters. A short appendix features some bird habitats from around the world.

This encouraging exploration of perseverance reveals that we all have plenty of imagination—and much to offer.