Sweet but sadly bewildering.
A child befriends a bird then copes with losing it.
Theo, a brown-skinned boy with curly, brown hair, likes to feed the birds at the park. “He tried his hardest to aim his seeds toward the bird with the raggedy wing,” notes the text. When this bird is nearly attacked by a dog, Theo rescues it and brings it home to his grandmother Pearl, after whom he’s named the bird (and who shares his coloring but with gray hair). Grandma Pearl helps him care for the bird, and they even bring it to a veterinarian. After learning the bird doesn’t have anything wrong with it (it’s just old), Grandma Pearl is persuaded to keep it at their home to convalesce. The softly edged cartoons show cozy scenes of Theo caring for Old Pearl, and then they depict his sadness when the bird dies. Grandma Pearl helps Theo mourn this loss. A closing scene shows him carrying an origami bird he’s made in tribute to Old Pearl to the park, where he sees a one-legged bird who seems to need extra care, too. While a closing author’s note cautions readers not to touch wild animals, even in attempts to help them, the story and tender illustrations send a starkly different message, which may prove confusing. Also odd is the choice to color these urban birds a uniform yellow rather than representing them as something recognizable, such as pigeons. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Sweet but sadly bewildering. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6269-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.
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
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