A PRACTICAL PRESENT FOR PHILIPPA PHEASANT

A bird protects her community.

Philippa Pheasant, a nut-brown little bird who lives near a bustling village, regularly crosses the road running through her forest home to eat blackberries on the other side. After she and her friends have one too many close calls with speeding cars, she notices a crossing guard in town and decides to take on that role for herself, crafting a little outfit and ushering wildlife across the thoroughfare. The mayor feels upstaged by the attention the bird’s curious practice receives from the townsfolk, but when his fluffy cat, Darling Treasure, goes for a wander, gets lost, and benefits from Philippa’s expertise, he gives the pheasant his official support and commissions a black-and-white painted crosswalk. Lengthy and rambling, this would be a somewhat tiring read-aloud, though the subtle effect of slant rhymes throughout adds some sparkle to the text. Old-fashioned illustrations showing a quaint town with diverse inhabitants (the mayor is light-skinned) and appealing little animals duly provide a visual component to the text. This will strike a chord with audiences that want the feeling of a quaint English fairy tale. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Traditional storytelling taken off the beaten path.