TAKE A CHANCE

An anxious bird slowly finds the courage to try new things.

Bob the cardinal has a little adventurous streak despite his generally timid nature. He doesn’t always fly with his flock, and he enjoys visiting other kinds of feathered friends, like Crow. Bob’s boldness has its limits, however, which readers discover when he declines Crow’s invitation to perch on a telephone wire. “Oh. Thanks…but um…I’ve got loads to do out east—maybe later?” he demurs. It’s a phony excuse, but Bob heads out east anyway and meets Pigeon, only to turn down offers of unfamiliar food. He then heads south, where he refuses Flamingo’s entreaties to wade in the water. Throughout, humor is enhanced by expressive watercolor, pencil, and digital illustrations that brim with emotion, movement, and vitality. Finally, after going west, Bob meets Eagle and, setting aside misgivings, joins the regal bird atop Mount Great. Bob’s strategy for reaching the peak provides a great model for young readers, as he breaks up the big journey into small, manageable pieces and then revels in the view that rewards him. Bolstered by this success, Bob returns to the other birds, fesses up to his dishonest excuses, and comes to enjoy a bigger, fuller life as a result. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Definitely take a chance on this one.