A relatable and heartfelt avian adventure with an appealing cast.
A shy osprey finds her confidence in this third installment of a chapter-book series.
Small and quiet, Opie does not fit in with her fellow ospreys. Hoping for some alone time, she seeks refuge in the mountains, where she is attacked by an eagle. She is rescued by her worried brother, Oscar, who scares the predator away. As Opie convalesces, the other ospreys indulge in gossip. Their aloofness causes Opie to withdraw even more than usual. Concerned, Oscar consults the wise owl Woo, who explains that Opie is an introvert and “all you can do is to support her, not make her decisions.” During the osprey migration, Opie, Oscar, and their brother Otto get separated from the others following a hurricane. Opie skillfully retraces the “migration flight pattern” and instructs her brothers to circle, yelp, and listen until they locate their injured parents. To her brothers’ surprise, Opie takes charge of mom's and dad’s healing. She even protects them from a hungry coyote. Opie “was developing into something new: a nurturer and caregiver, things she had never been before.” When the birds are strong enough to fly home, Opie leads the way. The other ospreys are surprised the family made it out of the storm alive and are shocked to learn that it was Opie—who now goes by her full name, Oprah—who kept the clan safe. The community’s elders are so impressed that they “thought about bringing Oscar, Otto, and Oprah within their council,” meaning “Oprah would be the first female elder—ever!” Eloquently written and engaging, Polansky’s story depicts the importance of courage in the face of hardships. The tale also emphasizes the need to respect different personality traits, temperaments, and abilities. Readers will root for the kind, empathetic characters here, particularly the three siblings who support one another during difficult times. The book occasionally references events in the author’s previous installments, such as how “Oscar was famous among the ospreys” and once had a fear of heights. Still, the story can easily be enjoyed and understood by new readers. Rosow’s simple but effective black-and-white line drawings depict pivotal scenes, like Opie’s tussle with the coyote.
A relatable and heartfelt avian adventure with an appealing cast.Pub Date: Dec. 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-66550-832-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Continuing to find inspiration in the work of Virginia Lee Burton, Munro Leaf and other illustrators of the past, Long (The Little Engine That Could, 2005) offers an aw-shucks friendship tale that features a small but hardworking tractor (“putt puff puttedy chuff”) with a Little Toot–style face and a big-eared young descendant of Ferdinand the bull who gets stuck in deep, gooey mud. After the big new yellow tractor, crowds of overalls-clad locals and a red fire engine all fail to pull her out, the little tractor (who had been left behind the barn to rust after the arrival of the new tractor) comes putt-puff-puttedy-chuff-ing down the hill to entice his terrified bovine buddy successfully back to dry ground. Short on internal logic but long on creamy scenes of calf and tractor either gamboling energetically with a gaggle of McCloskey-like geese through neutral-toned fields or resting peacefully in the shade of a gnarled tree (apple, not cork), the episode will certainly draw nostalgic adults. Considering the author’s track record and influences, it may find a welcome from younger audiences too. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25248-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2009
SEEN & HEARD
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
