(Viking Books for Young Readers; $18.99; Ages 3-7)
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
“The Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series meets The Food Group books in this tale of a plain bagel who dreams of being more!“
FROM KIRKUS:
“With charm and a lesson of self-empowerment, this bagel book has lox to recommend it.”
THE INTERVIEW:
Lauren Kasiarz:Let’s welcome today’s guest, Alan Silberberg. His most recent book, The Bagel Who Wanted Everything, is sweet, silly, and full of self-discovery.
Now let’s learn more about The Bagel Who Wanted Everything!
LK:What feels most unique to you about this story compared to ones you’ve previously written?
Alan Silberberg:The others are silly stories about Jewish holidays and funny food characters. In this book, though, it’s funny food characters, but I feel like I’m able to put more of my heart into it and say more about the human condition. It’s more of a heartfelt story for me.
LK:How did you come up with the idea for The Bagel Who Wanted Everything?
AS: This book came about as most of my books do – as a title. So then, I had to figure out the story and I didn’t want it to be a story about “plain is no good because plain is just plain.” I really struggled with telling this individualization story without denigrating being plain because plain’s awesome! And so, when I wrote up these other types of bagels, it took me a while to find that bagels are just one thing. And one isn’t better than the other.
LK: What was the most difficult aspect of writing The Bagel Who Wanted Everything?
AS:The hardest part for me is that I knew the sentence, “In a world of everything, why do I have to be one thing?” But I struggled with the ultimate message. How do I say it’s ok to be everything? By everything, I mean any combination or non-combination. I didn’t want to be judgey. And drawing, when you’re playing with a lot of brown tones, it was hard for me to get color into the book.
LK: Did you have any surprises while crafting this book?
AS: I didn’t have any surprises but I did have a moment where I said, “this isn’t funny. I’ve got to be funny.” And going back through it and saying, “well, I can’t really have a grandmother bagel be moldy and old. And then I went, well, maybe that’s funny.” So I had to push myself, not that it’s not a funny book, but I didn’t want it just to be cute.
Today’s guest post is by Lauren Kasiarz.
Watch the extended video interview with Alan Silberberg,
hosted by Lauren Kasiarz of @diversejewishbooks, on YouTube.
You can also find Lauren on IG here.
“A hardworking sponge…has a BIG job. She washes and mops and scrubs away all the messes in the kitchen. But what happens when the mess gets TOO BIG and she just CAN’T clean anymore?”
From Kirkus:
“Harris’ debut is a humorous foray into cleaning routines with a valuable message about avoiding burnout.”
Review:
In The Big Squeeze, an enthusiastic sponge helps around the sink, washing dishes, brushing away crumbs, and cleaning up spills …
until she becomes weighed down (and stinky) with all the gunk she’s absorbed. Suddenly, she could no longer do what she was made for. She’s a mess in more ways than one!
This cute, SEL debut featuring anthropomorphic kitchen cleaning items from Molly Harrisgently tackles self-care with a relatable story. Add the lively illustrations by Alison Hawkins, which exude friendly humor, and the variety of colorful characters imbued with engaging personalities, and you’ve got a winner for families, classrooms, and libraries!
This is the story of three bat best friends: Addie, Jude, and Ben, whose favorite things to do are swooping, flipping, and somersaulting their nights away in Addie And The Amazing Acrobats. This debut picture book by author-illustrator and preschool teacher Shauna Cagan tells the story of “Superstar” Addie, who is confronted with a choice between her best friends and the fame of joining the legendary Big Bat Circus.
Cagan pulls the reader into the story by breaking the fourth wall: “Um, excuse me.” Addie interrupts the narrator, disagreeing with the opening line of the story. Cagan’s terrific digital illustrations deliver, too, as the scene is set by the big red bridge and the many bats hanging upside down in the dark underneath a passing train. With Addie not liking the opening line, the story starts again with “This is the story of three BEST friends. They were together from the start.” Addie wants the reader to know that their friendship is most important. Cagan illustrates them as newborns wrapped in blankets and at their first sleepover (see art above), where they stayed up all day (get it, they’re bats). As they get older, their favorite thing to do is aerial stunts over the night sky.
The trio was a big hit performing for the bears, skunks, and deer, and with each night, the crowds grew. One night, Addie felt a tap on her wing and was asked to join the Big Bat Circus leaving the following day. Addie, Ben, and Jude were over the moon and waited early in the morning with packed bags by the train tracks for the adventures to begin. But when Flipper Von Swoopsalot arrived with his tall red and yellow top hat and red cape, he said, “Just you, Superstar. The others have to stay.” Addie had a tough choice to make. Young readers may be convinced that she would never leave her friends behind. So what happened? She boarded the train with the banner on the side that read THE ONE AND ONLY AMAZING ADDIE!!
Night after night on the road, Addie dazzled her fans, who crammed inside the traveling circus tent with boxes of popcorn and yummy treats. Addie’s talent was in the spotlight, something she always dreamed about. But something was missing.
Meanwhile, back home, Addie’s replacement, a terrified raccoon holding on to a tree stump (such a funny illustration!), is too afraid to join Jude and Ben flying in the sky. When Addie receives the news that she will be performing back at home, she immediately mails a letter to her friends. But are they still her best friends? When the second Tuesday arrives Addie looks out the train window in hopes her best bat pals have not abandoned her as she did them.
This sweet story about choosing friendship over what you think you want the most is heartwarming. It shows kids the impact of their choices, a positive social-emotional element that adds an extra layer to the entertainment. The humor is delightful, and you can find something new to laugh about with every read. Bravo to Shauna Cagan, who has taken her years of teaching preschool students and created a book the kids will adore.
Author Hallee Adelman has taken big feelings and put them into words and actions in this helpful picture book about a young girl who breaks a promise to her best friend and now, feeling Way Past Sorry needs to find a way to remedy the situation and save her friendship.
In this latest book in Adelman’s series that teaches kids how to manage powerful emotions in social situations, we meet Kat who is on her way to a class trip with her classmates and best friend Sage. Josep Maria Juli, who also illustrated Adelman’s Way Past Embarrassed, paints a blue bus with students seated side by side, well, everyone except Sage. Kat had promised her best friend that she would sit with her on the trip but instead sits beside Meera. I have no doubt this is probably a situation many children have experienced. The art complements the story and keeps it simple so as not to distract from the relationship issues.
Leaving the bus, Kat attempts an apology but Sage ignores her.”I felt way past sorry.” When the students are asked to pair up, Sage is left with their teacher Mr. Pish. She walks towards him with sunken shoulders and no smile on her face. And Kat, dressed in her yellow shirt and blue pants, is also missing a smile.
Sometimes problems grow bigger, even when it’s the last thing we want, and that’s what happens when Kat is asked why she wasn’t Sage’s buddy. Making a bad situation worse, Kat responds, “Sage didn’t want to sit with me …” not wanting the kids to know she was the one who created the problem. She feels awful getting hugs she didn’t deserve.
Adding insult to injury, readers see Kat’s tongue sticking out at Sage when she’s confronted with her lie. This is such a relatable problem and a great lesson for kids to learn at a young age. Mr. Pish watches the girls’ interaction with a disappointed look. Kat dreams this day could start over, but we all know, especially young readers, that just isn’t possible.
Everyone returns to class. But for Kat, “… my day couldn’t start again. I felt stuck with my sorry. After a while, Meera said, ‘You’re not being fun.'” Apropos of a class science project, Kat asks Mr. Pish, “… if good scientists make mistakes, do you think good friends do too?” She remembers good times with her best friend drawing on the floor. Completing the ice cream-making assignment, she hands a cone to Sage asking her if they can talk at lunch. This part is a mature example. Communicating feelings instead of ignoring what happened is a lesson kids will carry through into all of life’s ups and downs.
As we approach the final pages, feelings are unpacked. “She told me how I had made her feel. And I listened really well.” Kat admits her mistakes and Sage tells her she’s a great friend. A friendship mended and a happy ending. Other recommended books in the Great Big Feelings series include Way Past Lonely, Way Past Afraid, and Way Past Jealous, all teaching kids they are not alone when big feelings arise.
Scooter the bird has always wanted to fly around and use words to help others just like his favorite author, Wendell. The only problem is that he can’t fly, so he uses a scooter. Bully bird Squawk teases him and the other birds. “Are you even a bird?” Squawk says meanly to Scooter. And Scooter knows how much words can hurt, so he takes some advice from Wendell’s book and decides to stand up to Squawk and help his friends—by using positive words! One day when Scooter finds himself in a dangerous situation, to his surprise it’s Squawk who offers words that help him. Knowing the power of positive words, Scooter makes a friendly offer to Squawk that hopefully will get Squawk to change his bullying ways.
INTERVIEW:
Kelly Rice Schmitt: I love the idea of a bird who cannot fly! What a great main character. And he is so cute! What was your inspiration for Scooter?
Shannon Anderson: When my oldest daughter, Emily, was younger, she created this fuzzy, colorful bird riding a scooter. I fell in love with him and told her he needed to be in a story. I named him Scooter and started brainstorming what this little bird was going to do. I had been wanting to write a story about the power of our words – how they can help or hurt someone. I came up with the premise that it isn’t the size of your wings that matters as much as the size of your heart. From there, the story developed. Scooter admires a hero in a book who champions kindness. When a new bird moves into the area who is not kind at all, Scooter makes it his mission to help the bully be a nicer feathered friend.
KRS: Wow! How cool that your daughter’s creation was able to inspire the illustrator! What was your reaction when you first saw Olga Demidova’s depiction of Scooter?
SA: I feel very blessed that I had the rare opportunity to share my daughter’s drawing with the editor. Olga used Emily’s art to create the character for the book! It makes this project so much more meaningful for our family. I love Olga’s bright use of colors, and her art is just beautiful.
KRS: In addition to the colorful art, HEROES DON’T HAVE TO FLY is also a wonderfully layered text touching on themes of bullying, kindness, and the power of your words, all while featuring characters that beat to their own drum. What was your intent behind the themes of this book?
SA:I started with the power of our words. I was an elementary teacher for 25 years and witnessed the power of our words on a daily basis. (From what I said to the kids to what they said to each other.) We truly can encourage or discourage others based on what we say.
It seemed natural to focus the story on characters being kind or unkind to launch discussions readers can have about the characters and their feelings.
I wanted to present a wide array of characters that kids can possibly identify with. For example, Scooter was born with a physical challenge, Skeeter is going through an awkward growth spurt, and Squeak is shy. I try to find ways that kids can see themselves in books and relate to the characters.
KRS:What a great message— and entry points for kids to relate to this story! Additionally, you are quite the wordsmith! Your text shines with playful language that makes this such a fun read-aloud. Do you have any tips for emerging writers on how you use figurative language and polish your manuscripts to make every word count?
SA:I love playing around with words! I have led a lot of creative writing camps and clubs over the years for kids and adults alike. If we can figure out a unique way to bring words to the page or make our writing lyrical, I think readers enjoy it more. I know I do. It is also way more fun to come up with interesting ways to describe characters, settings, or situations. I make lists of words, phrases, names, idioms, puns, and possible figurative language I want to use for a story. It becomes a challenge to see how many times I can perk up a page with a new way to say something.
KRS:What do you hope young readers will take away from this book?
SA: I hope the characters will be loved and memorable. I hope readers will understand the power our words can have. It would be amazing if they read the story and then they want to make a difference with their own voices in the world too. Kindness projects would be the perfect extension activity for classrooms and families after reading the book.
KRS:So, what next for you? Any forthcoming works or events?
SA:Yes! I have a book through Cardinal Rule Press coming out in 2024: Do it Yourself Dollhouse. Also, in 2024, through Free Spirit Publishing, B is for Belonging will release. In 2025, the sequel to my most successful book, I LOVE Strawberries! will hit shelves. It is through Feeding Minds Press and is titled, I LOVE Blueberries!
Having new books come out is always a thrill, but my favorite part of writing them is going to schools around the country to talk about the stories behind the stories. I love getting kids excited about reading and writing. I recently hit my 300th author visit and am looking forward to many more.
You can check out my books, find out more about my school visits, or contact me on my website: www.shannonisteaching.com.
Author Shannon Anderson Photo Credit: Shannon Mitchell Photography
AUTHOR BIO:
Shannon Anderson taught for 25 years, from first grade through college level. A highlight of her career was being named one of the 10 teachers who “awed and inspired” the Today Show in 2019. Shannon is also an award-winning children’s book author of over a dozen traditionally published books and served as the regional advisor for the Indiana Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. You can learn more about her at www.shannonisteaching.com.
Kelly Rice Schmitt is a mom in STEAM writing for curious kids of all ages! She loves getting little humans excited about BIG ideas and believes that children are often far more capable than grown-ups assume. A former energy trader, Kelly is an advocate for girls in STEM and business. Shewrites to spark curiosity, courage, and joy in readers, and hopes to inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators.
Kelly lives in North Carolina with her husband, young children, and many stacks of books. Find Kelly on social media at @krschmittwrites. I SHIP (Lerner, October 3) is her debut picture book.
Glow is a bioluminescent squid who loves to dance and twirl. And the faster he twirls, the brighter he GLOWS! He loves to show off his skills … and becomes quite a show-off with a bad attitude. He doesn’t like sharing the spotlight. And when he ditches his friends in search of fans, he loses his glow! Can Glow find his way home—and if he does, will his friends take him back?
As readers follow Glow’s journey, they’ll learn all about bioluminescence and fascinating ocean creatures along the way.
INTERVIEW:
Aixa Pérez-Prado: Congrats on your picture book, THE GLOW SHOW! How did you get into creating books for young readers?
Susi Schaefer: Thank you so much for the interview. I was born and raised in Austria, where I completed an apprenticeship as a glass painter. That style still influences my illustrations today.
Once I reached my early twenties, I got a case of Wanderlust and came to the U.S. to work as a nanny. While reading tons of picture books to the kids, I fell in love with the format. Eventually, I studied graphic design and worked in that field for many years.
And once I had my own kiddos, I decided to try my hand at illustrating and writing. With the help of the SCBWI and my critique groups, I steadily improved my craft until I landed an agent in 2016. THE GLOW SHOW will be my third book.
SS: I am a huge nature lover and have always been fascinated by the ocean, partially because I grew up in a landlocked country. Soon after arriving here, I got my scuba diving certification to explore the underwater world for myself.
Then, a few years ago, we had a lot of bioluminescent plankton in the surf here in Southern California. I really became interested in glowing marine life.
Also, I wanted to tell a story about friendship versus followers or fans. And that’s how that idea for THE GLOW SHOW was born.
SS: For this book, I started by illustrating a finished underwater scene, including a purple, bioluminescent squid. I loved the character so much that I began to write a messy first draft of the manuscript. After a couple of revisions, I created the dummy. The feedback from my critique group was very positive, and I decided to share the idea with my agent. She loved it and helped me refine the dummy. And then, we sent it out on submission and found a wonderful home.
My illustration process is digital collage combined with traditional watercolor washes. First, I create manual sketches on paper, then bring them into Procreate on my Apple iPad Pro and finalize each file in Photoshop on my Mac.
APP: Are you working on any projects you can tell us about?
SS: Yes, I am thrilled to share that I have recently signed two more contracts, one as an illustrator for a book scheduled for publication later in 2023 and the second as an author/illustrator for a book coming in 2025.
Born and raised in the Austrian Alps, Susi Schaefer trained as a glass painter in the medieval town of Rattenberg. After moving to Southern California for sun and adventure, Susi studied graphic design. She’s the illustrator of ZOO ZEN by Kristen Fischer, author-Illustrator of CAT LADIES and THE GLOW SHOW. Susi lives in North Tustin, California, with her family. www.susischaefer.com
Aixa Pérez-Prado is a native of Argentina who immigrated to the US as a small child. She is a writer, illustrator, translator, sensitivity reader and professor with a PhD in Social Science and Education. Aixa has lived in several different countries, and draws inspiration for her stories and illustrations from diverse locations. Her passion is writing and illustrating picture books aimed at giving diverse children a chance to see their multilayered identities represented through stories that resonate with heart and humor. Aixa writes in Spanish and English and enjoys mixing languages in her prose. Similarly, she loves illustrating by employing different techniques in a whimsical style that includes watercolor, acrylic, ink, and digital. She especially enjoys combining all of these elements through collage. Her 2023 books are CITY FEET (Reycraft), and OUR WORLD: ARGENTINA (Barefoot Books), and coming in 2024, MERCEDES SOSA: THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (Lee & Low). Aixa is represented by Joyce Sweeney from the Seymour Agency.
Young people share valuable advice—words they wish they had heard growing up—to inspire, reassure, encourage, and say You’re enough, just as you are.
REVIEW:
You Can! Kids Empowering Kidsuses simple phrases with powerful meanings on a journey with fourteen imaginary characters “as they grow from birth to eighteen.” Author Alexandra Strick’sprose opens each page with “You can …” placed alone in the left-hand corner, with inspirational messages spread throughout the book showcasing the power kids have while growing up.
Illustrator Steve Antony’s eye-catching colorful penciled art finished digitally, depicts children growing up before our eyes, and along the way they are being brave, exploring new worlds, and sharing feelings with a friend.
Below is a wonderful spread of kids lined up on the floor listening to a new friend playing the flute. One girl sticks her tongue out at a boy but the reader finds them hugging and “forgiving others and yourself” when seen again as teens. Watching the characters grow from babies to young adults was a fabulous way to experience them believing in themselves, dreaming big, and supporting each other.
Whoever young readers identify with, Antony’s diverse art provides the opportunity for children to be able to locate someone that resembles themselves or their actions. The closing pages show what becomes of our new friends. The girl in the wheelchair is an important figure sitting in front of a podium, while the boy with red hair grows up to become a pilot.
One page is filled with crowds of kids gathered together in costumes. There is a child dressed as a purple clown who prefers to follow along, while another walks with a cane choosing to lead the way. (Canes and wheelchairs are not going to prevent any of these kids from doing what they wish to do.) Turning the page, we read “do something big by doing something small, inspire and encourage others, stand up for what you believe in, and make a difference.” The words “Climate Action Now!” head up a spread of kids picking up trash and collecting water bottles. We see kids working together uplifting each other and remaining friends.
An angled font for “do things you couldn’t do yesterday” accompanies a girl dressed in a green suit and cap swimming the ocean with two friendly whales by her side. When she grows up, we see a drawing of her again dressed in green taking photos of fish in the sea. Each child is matched to a color throughout the story, in this way readers can flip back to the beginning of the pages to remind themselves of the character’s backstory. This was a creative way to follow along with the group of children.
Readers see that it’s not just about doing things for others but doing things for themselves as well. Kids are cheered on as they run a race but it’s not about winning or losing, “Just give it a try,” Strick shares. The blind runner strapped to the guided runner is just one example of this positive and inspiring picture book.
The blue sky covers the last spread above with the kids all grown up standing on a green hill with the words “You can believe in yourself, be the best you can, be kind, dream big, and be yourself,” above their heads. That pretty much says it all right there.
In back matter, Strick explains the research behind the picture book, while Antony draws faces of himself and Strick in a zoom room with real kids from all backgrounds. The kids are asked what they feel is important to say in the text. It was heartwarming to learn that these are the words of the young contributors. This book belongs in every classroom to be read to students as a lesson in social-emotional learning. In a world full of chaos, it was gratifying to read a book that gives kids hope. Strick, from the U.K., is the co-founder of Inclusive Minds, a collective for people who are passionate about inclusion, diversity, and accessibility in children’s literature.
If you need a moment to slow down and appreciate life, read the picture book,Somewhere, Right Now, by debut author Kerry Docherty. In this comforting story, we see members of one family each experience strong emotions such as fear, anger, and sadness. One by one, as their feelings are recognized, they take a moment to focus. By understanding that “somewhere, right now” a great thing is happening, they move away from the negativity and, instead, their imaginations transport them to uplifting thoughts about animals in nature.
The realistic illustrations by Suzie Mason capture the smattering of dark moods and offset them with plenty of joyful, kind images. Kids will learn that we all feel down sometimes and how a few words can make a huge difference. This book is very much needed in today’s fast-paced, uncertain world; it provides simple instruction on how to help control our minds while also boosting the love and positivity around us if we just choose to look for it.
From the publisher: Sometimes things are really tough. It’s just too hard. You’ve had enough. Grumble, rumble, bump and roar, the struggle bus is at your door.[The Struggle Bus] is a must-have picture book for any reader struggling with new experiences and managing emotions … Incorporating her experience as an elementary school counselor, Koon uses the accessible theme of vehicles to make this social-emotional concept perfect for the preschool and early elementary crowd. It’s also a great tool for caregivers to start conversations with children about acknowledging difficult feelings and facing fears.
From the inside of a grumbly-rumbly bus, readers travel through the process of helpless overwhelm to joyous triumph in this rhyming, growth-mindset picture book from debut author-illustrator, Julie Koon.
Koon’s muted color palette soothes as she tackles the unsure (and at times overwhelming) feelings a child encounters when facing new challenges and learning we all “have what it takes to do hard things.” A repeated refrain invites the youngest listeners into the storytelling while ample back matter offers teachers and caregivers more information to use during classroom or at-home discussions. A delightful debut for both author and publisher, The Struggle Bus is a wonderful addition to the school SEL library.
Welcome to Day Four of The Wall and the Wild Blog Tour!
Scroll up or down for the full tour graphic.
The Wall and the Wild, the debut picture book from Christina Dendy with vibrant art by Katie Rewse is in its own lovely way, a call of the wild. Lured in by the cover illustration, I was beckoned on by the gratifying marriage of language and illustrations.
As the story opens, readers see a treetop view of a young girl, Ana, creating a garden. However, she’s overly picky about what she selects. There can be no flaws in what seeds she plants and her face shows when she is dissatisfied. “YOU, stay out THERE” Ana warns the disorderly WILD which, like nature, is really all around her. What doesn’t appear perfect she “throws into the untidy WILD.” With the WILD presented early on by Dendy as a character, my curiosity was piqued.
Intent on keeping her plot pristine, Ana constructs a stone wall, and soon her garden bursts with color and an abundance of beautiful flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Not only do friends come by to admire Ana’s garden, but so do creatures big and small. This feast for the eyes might please others, but Ana seems to only focus on the negative. I love how the author has added another important layer for children in this story about how limiting perfectionism can be. Ana finds and plucks plant intruders from the WILD whose presence mars the overall neat appearance. These weeds weren’t something Ana could tolerate. So, once again, along with more imperfect seeds, she tosses them all away.
Now Ana is more determined than ever. She adds onto her stone wall to prevent the WILD from coming in. Yet, rather than thrive in these conditions, Ana’s perfectly tidy garden seems to wither. The illustrations convey a quality of dullness. When visitors dwindle along with the plants’ health, Ana begins to question her intentions. Perhaps she was too controlling? Maybe it’s time to see what’s out in the WILD where all her discards have gone. “On the other side, voices babble, footsteps patter, and sunlight beams.” There’s a lightness to the prose and a hint at what’s to come.
To her surprise, a world of remarkable beauty awaits Ana beyond her wall. Here I grew excited to see Ana grow along with the WILD garden that’s flourished in spite of her efforts to thwart it. Seeing her realize that, as Dendy mentions in her back matter on ecosystems, “Seeds don’t need to look the same or ‘perfect’ to grow into perfectly beautiful, healthy plants,” is a rewarding moment in the story.
This lovely message of caring for all and how there’s room for everyone at the table or in the garden is as rich as the soil that Ana first tended. Something I missed on the first reading, but noted later on and truly appreciated as someone coming from a family with hearing loss is that Rewse has included the main character wearing hearing aids in her art. I can easily see this charming picture book included in classrooms’ STEM curriculums and as a great way to encourage outdoor, nature-based learning.
★Starred Reviews – Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly
What better way to travel to the sea than to fly, and I don’t mean by airplane! Jacob’s Fantastic Flight, by German author illustratorPhilip Waechter, and translated by Elisabeth Lauffer, takes the reader on Jacob’s family vacation where he foregoes flying by plane with mom and dad, and instead sets off with courage to fly solo.
Waechter begins his whimsical tale by introducing readers to baby Jacob, flying before walking and surrounded by his parents, mouths agape, as their baby takes flight from his carriage to beyond the treetops. Each page pulls the reader in with colorful illustrations and intricate detail. Waechter’s vision of the story is beautifully expressed in his uplifting art.
At first his parents were pretty concerned because having a kid like that was a little weird. But they soon got used to him flying and figured, “So be it—he’s our son, and he’s perfect just the way he is!” And he’s quite helpful when he flies to the top of a tree to pick the big red apple!
As Jacob grows bigger, the family decides it’s time to take a vacation to the sea. After accompanying his parents to the airport, Jacob then waves goodbye and takes off flying on his own. Here begins the real adventure for the boy as he befriends birds, a flock of 83, while admiring the scenery along the way. He saw blue mountain lakes and golden wheat fields and smelled meadows full of flowers—beautiful!
Soon a notorious new character is introduced, Mr. Mortar, the evil birdcatcher. It wasn’t long before a little bird blundered into his net. When Jacob and the birds realize their count is off they work together to devise a plan and save their bird pal Hubert, with Jacob taking the lead.
Jacob finally catches up with his very happy parents who welcome him with hugs and kisses. I can only imagine the worry they must have felt thinking their son was flying alone. The family of three turned into a family of four as Hubert the rescued bird was now included in the family trip.
For all those kids who have imagined themselves flying, this is a wonderful adventure. It is also a heartwarming and much needed story about a boy whose difference is also his special power, one that gives him confidence, self-esteem and courage. This is a great conversation starter about helping others in need.
Reviewed by Ronda Skernick Einbinder
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