TOO MANY TOUCANS

A toucan wants to build a tree house, but the new neighbors get carried away.

Toco, a small toucan with a dark pink beak, draws up a plan for his ideal home, with a leaf-covered roof and flower boxes. A toucan in a hard hat arrives to offer help but insists they need six windows (Toco had planned on just four). Soon, a different toucan, holding a power drill, shows up and proposes constructing a bridge. Hey, that wasn’t in Toco’s plan! Toco tries to speak up, but several other large, yellow-beaked toucans arrive ready to supply their own input, building more and more outlandish elements. They complete a massive tree house with a cinema, a swimming pool, and several towers; almost immediately, it all collapses. Toco finally finds his voice and asserts that none of the others’ ideas are right for him. With his original plan and the help of only a few toucans, Toco leads the completion of his perfect tree house. Bowles strikes a strong balance between silly and serious with this fable that emphasizes the importance of speaking up confidently and respectfully. An in-depth appended note by a clinical child psychologist informs adult readers how to promote and model “assertive communication” for children. The pleasant, cartoon-style illustrations include bright, tropical colors.

Fits the bill for kids who need some help voicing their needs.