AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds
GENRE
Picture book
REVIEW
It all starts innocently enough, with a friendly game of catch, but soon Bird is accidentally hit on the head. We realize right away that he will not be bouncing back quickly when he pronounces, "That hurt. A lot." One by one, his friends do their best to alleviate Bird's trauma with kisses, hugs, and cookies, but all to no avail. It is only when Bird sees that he has made his friends cry in their worry about him that he stops complaining. This pivotal moment of realization, depicted in one wordless page, demonstrates the skill with which Tankard conveys emotion in his seemingly simple cartoon-style drawings. Earlier he conveys Bird's worsening mood in increasingly darker orange-brown backgrounds. The repetitive pattern of the story will make it fun for children to predict Bird's reaction to each attempt to help him, and the amount of text makes this story most appropriate for three and four year-olds. With humor, this story demonstrates the results of overdoing it on self-pity.
LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
This story could be read aloud in conjunction with a visit from a local safety/health professional such as an ambulance driver or nurse. Discuss with children what they should do if they or someone around them is injured.
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