The last Rainbow Bird

Alex and Jo, napping on their rowboat, are startled by loud crying from pal Professor Feather's forest home. There, they discover he's upset because, despite successes in finding mates for rare birds to ensure their survival, he can't locate one for the rarest--the little Rainbow Bird, gray furred and sad faced. The kids decide they'll search, too, and aboard their boat, they encounter and consult many varieties of birds along the river--Big-to-Little Birds (lined up in order of decreasing size), Lamp Birds that helpfully illuminate their path . . . but none has seen the elusive Rainbow Bird. About to give up, they finally spot one--just as they crash over a waterfall. Fortunately, a Tower Bird, grateful for the professor's work, reunites them all, including the Rainbow Bird, whose plumage "painted the air: pink and blue and red and green, and every colour in between." Featuring bright, whimsical illustrations and an animated narrative, this translated Norwegian title incorporates amusing elements and lots of playful detail to pore over. An entertaining read and approach to the topic of rare-bird conservation and protecting endangered species.

Two children embark on a journey to help a solitary bird find a mate. Professor Feather, a scientist, is distraught. They've found mates for many rare birds but not the rarest, a small gray bird with long spindly legs known as the Rainbow Bird. Alex and Jo, young friends of the professor, offer to find its mate. They sail off and ask the House Birds, Underwater Birds, and Lamp Birds if they've seen a Rainbow Bird, to no avail. One bouncing response from a multicolored row of Big-to-Little Birds (each smaller than the last) is stunning in its simplicity and playfulness. Ready to give up, Alex and Jo spot a Rainbow Bird dangerously perched on a rock at the head of a waterfall. Luckily, the children survive the tumble over the falls and land with the last Rainbow Bird on Jo's hand. In an especially energetic, vibrant illustration, the Rainbow Bird's feathers paint "the air: pink and blue and red and green, and every colour in between." A giant Tower Bird flies Alex, Jo, and the Rainbow Bird back to the professor, and the two birds are very happy to be together. While the theme about the importance of safeguarding rare animals from extinction comes through clearly in this Norwegian import, the rich, rainbow-colored illustrations are truly the stars here. Professor Feather and Alex are light-skinned; Jo is brown-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A joyous conservation message wrapped in a colorful feast for the eyes. (information on conservation) (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.