SQUIRREL AND BIRD

In this inspired tale of metafiction, best friends Squirrel and Bird get ready for a concert, with the help—and hindrance—of a meddling narrator.

Offering condescending and reductive characterizations of both creatures, the unseen narrator immediately rouses Bird’s ire. Squirrel is “loud! Very LOUD!” Bird, on the other hand, “hardly makes a sound at all.” “Squirrel is busy. Busy, busy, busy!” But Bird “prefers to sit and do nothing.” Bird chafes at these flattening descriptions—all of which contradict what’s actually going on in the illustrations as the two animals cheerfully prepare for their performance. As the event draws closer, the narrator lays it on thick (“Squirrel is confident. Bird is shy”) until finally Bird has had “ENOUGH!” and proclaims that all creatures are far more multifaceted than they might appear. Chastened, the narrator agrees: “Bird is a LOT of things. And Squirrel is, too!” Baker’s minimal text is ably supported by Thomas’ muted artwork. Featuring grays and warm yellows, the images evoke the feeling of a classic storybook—one that’s cleverly subverted as the narrative progresses. Dynamic layouts—the occasional use of panels, the word “ENOUGH!” taking up an entire spread—add panache. Bird’s comments are rendered in a unique, flowing typeface. The message is clear: It’s foolish and limiting to attempt to put anyone in a box; there’s so much more to all of us than meets the eye.

Delivers an important lesson with an emotional wallop.