Review by Booklist Review
Want to befriend a small bird? Follow a few friendly steps to make a new avian ally. Crouch down and, using tin cans connected by string, whisper for the bird to come closer. If he accepts the overture, feel free to show him the treehouse, offer him snacks, and make a cozy nest for him to nap in. After spending all day with the bird, be sure to give him a chance to flutter away, because birds are meant to fly--but he'll always come back to visit his new friend. It's a charming abstract instruction guide on finding friendship, and the irresistible illustrations are packed with delightful details (try to resist the depiction of the small bird taking a nap). The entertaining instructions would be fun to act out during a read-aloud ("Crouch down close to the ground like an itty-bitty frog"), though grown-ups might want to point out that grabbing small birds from the garden is frowned upon, lest a young reader take the appealing advice too literally. A sweet and silly how-to handbook for anyone wishing to make a new friend.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
How to make friends with a bird…or any other small fugitive thing. Reflective readers will quickly understand that Belin isn't suggesting that her strategy will reliably work with actual birds--but it just might fly with a new neighbor, potential new friend, or even idea. Start out by looking small and moving slowly, she writes. Choose a comfortable setting, bring snacks, sing and dance a little, and, when the time is right, reach out. "Be sure to leave your hand open," she notes, "because…even the smallest bird is meant to fly." In illustrations as tidy and bright as the narrative, a young, light-skinned birdwatcher sporting binoculars, a backpack, and a large tumble of brown hair carries a tiny, colorful bird up to a treehouse for a nap and some joyful play. After the bird wings off, the youngster settles down to wait patiently…because, the author concludes, a bird "always comes back when he finds a friend." Perhaps to underscore the metaphorical nature of the encounter, the bird belongs to no recognizable species--unlike the gallery of feathered neighborhood familiars Hwang depicts on the back cover. Simple, sunny, and wise.(Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
