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40 pp.
| Atheneum/Dlouhy |
April, 2023 |
TradeISBN 9781534492554$18.99
|
EbookISBN 9781534492561$10.99
(2)
K-3
Bob, a teardrop-shaped bird, is risk averse. When Crow invites him to perch with the other crows on the telephone wire, Bob worries about what might go wrong (bad breath, a collapse). He makes up an excuse: "Oh thanks...but um...I've got loads to do out East--maybe later?" He in fact has nothing to do out East but flies off anyway. Bob meets Pigeon, who offers him some city-street delicacies. He's curious--and hungry--but fears the new foods could make him sick. He makes an excuse and wings it to another locale. Down South, Flamingo encourages Bob to swim at the beach; it's no surprise that Bob can't...he has a meeting out West. Finally, Bob encounters majestic Eagle, who empathizes with Bob's anxieties and inspires him to take a series of "mini chances." This successful experience gives Bob the confidence to visit Flamingo and Pigeon on the way home and try what he'd avoided before. (The everything bagel blows his mind: "OMG. Are you kidding me with this deliciousness?!") Rim's (illustrator of Happy Springtime!, rev. 5/21) watercolor, pencil, and digital illustrations are full of humor and energy, as is the personality-filled text. This power-of-positive-thinking story speaks to the Bob in all of us.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2023