Review by Booklist Review
Barton offers lyrical passages set against an eclectic mixture of artistic imagery to tell a charming story about self-discovery in her authorial debut. As Peep awakens to a melodious racket, readers are similarly treated to a musical feast in Barton's lyrical lines. Her onomatopoeic phrases highlight auditory details, and bouncy lines describe movement Peep hopped through the poppies. Peep soon discovers that what he hears is the Dawn Chorus, a collection of colorful birds greeting the day with song. He is thrilled when he gets to audition for them, and the story's most magical spreads come alive as he practices, singing sweetly against the backdrop of a starry night sky. Barton's mixed-media artwork in bright colors and patches of patterned paper depicts the happy, chubby birds on delicate branches in an abstracted, artful forest, which nicely complements the cheery words. Little ones will be heartened when Peep discovers that, though he might not belong in the Dawn Chorus, he learns something even more worthwhile about himself. An empowering story about the value of individuality.--Miller, Annie Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Barton (A Guide to Sisters), working in a palette of warm autumnal hues, embellishes plump songbirds with collaged patterned paper and represents birdsong with decorative, ribbonlike flourishes. One bird, Peep, hears beautiful singing at daybreak and searches the forest for its source. "Is that your wonderful song?" he asks a mouse clinging to stalks of dried grass. "Not mine," the mouse replies. At last Peep arrives at a tree full of birds-it's the Dawn Chorus, an official choir of birds with a conductor ("Our song lets everyone know that it's the start of a new day"). Peep wants to audition, but he sleeps through one audition and yawns his way through a second; he's a reject. Discouraged, he sings softly by himself that evening, finds a companion to sing with, and learns that he's a nightingale-he's meant to sing at night, and beautifully, at that. Barton's where-do-I-fit story introduces the idea that unconventional behavior is not always due to a failure of will-sometimes it has a rational explanation. Ages 3-6. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Little Peep awakens from sleep in the forest to a beautiful song. He first asks an owl if it has been singing and then asks a mouse. A frog directs him to a "tree full of birds.all singing!" Peep asks to join this "Dawn Chorus" and is told that he must audition the next day. He practices, oversleeps, and misses the audition. He practices more, sleeps through the next day, and realizes that he is better suited to join the nightingales. Each element of the whimsical collage, drawings, and watercolor illustrations is beautiful, distinctively arranged against a spare background. The premise that Peep must audition in order to sing in the chorus is a bit off-putting and counter to the efforts of early childhood practitioners, who know the value of children singing early and often. However, the fact that Peep finds his voice and his place to shine is indeed gratifying. VERDICT A lovely addition about celebrating difference.-Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI c Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A small bird named Little Peep wants to join the other birds singing at sunrise, but he discovers that he isn't an early riser. As Peep flits through a delicate landscape of abstract collaged shapes, he encounters various advisersowl, mouse, frogwho tell him that the beautiful sound he is hearing is the Dawn Chorus. Sadly, however, he has arrived too late to join in, and the glorious song is over. The conductor invites him to audition the next day, but, alas, he is too late again. Given a second chance, he gets there in time, but due to late-night practicing, all he can do is yawn. Feeling sad, he starts to sing at dusk and hears another bird singing who looks just like him. Amazed, he asks the mystery bird why he can only sing in the evening. The answer is that they are both nightingales, a European bird that only sings at night. The rather thin narrative is weakened on this side of the Atlantic by the fact that the plot hinges on the behavior of a bird that most American children will never see. Educational value is limited by the naively decorative appearance of all the birds, as the "nightingales" don't look very much different from the other diurnal species. This sleepy narrative doesn't ever really wake up. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
