Review by New York Times Review
Jellyfish, flamingoes, butterflies; pandas, zebras, vipers. This beautifully illustrated oversize compendium will be a treat for anyone who likes to look at and think about the staggering variety of animals on this planet. Davies ("King of the Sky") has a degree in zoology and a clear passion for animal life. A brief verse on each spread is both awed and intimate - "The panda walks alone," she writes, "and the reason for its color / we may never really know" - leaving ample space for Horacek's vividly colored, painterly art. INKY'S GREAT ESCAPE The Incredible (and Mostly True) Story of an Octopus Escape By Casey Lyall. Illustrated by Sebastiâ Serra. 32 pp. Sterling. $16.95. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Few stories of animal escapades rival octopus escapes for mindboggling fun. Lyall embellishes wildly on the story of Inky, who broke out of a New Zealand aquarium in 2016. This Inky is a raconteur and a patient opportunist who escapes on a dare from his tankmate, Blotchy. Inky's physical feats are, of course, incredible: He makes himself "flat as a piece of seaweed," then coils his body into a rope, slipping down the drain and out to the ocean. With Technicolor flair, Serra's madcap cartoony illustrations rev up the story even more. RED & LULU Written and illustrated by Matt Tavares. 40 pp. Candlewick. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 3 to 7) Redand Lulu, a devoted pair of cardinals, live year-round in a giant pine tree overlooking the snug house of a family of humans. But the tree is chopped down and strapped to a truck, with Lulu in its branches. Red's journey to find his mate makes for gorgeous sweeping vistas and heightened emotion, especially when he finds her in the illuminated branches of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Tavares ("Crossing Niagara") lets the holiday note waft lightly, bringing equal cheer to the celebration of pair-bonding and New York City. FEATHER By Cao Wenxuan. Illustrated by Roger Mello. 48 pp. Elsewhere Editions. $18. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) I believe a good picture book comes close to philosophy; the great Chinese children's author Cao writes in the introduction to this lovely and, yes, profound tale of a feather searching for the bird it belongs to. As Feather is rebuffed by a heron, a peacock, a wild goose and more, we glimpse each bird's personality and sense of purpose, and we feel Feather's longing for self-knowledge and a home. Mello's striking art makes each page a bright color, each avian portrait an evocative surprise. The book's boxlike design looks special, too. HOW TO BE AN ELEPHANT Growing Up in the African Wild Written and illustrated by Katherine Roy. 48 pp. Roaring Brook. $18.99. (Picture book; ages 7 to 11) From Babar to Little Elliot, fictional elephants have charmed generations of kid readers. But make room for this account of real-life elephants that follows a baby through her first two years, explaining elephant society and biology and how the young learn. The energetic illustrations are whimsical on one page, scientifically precise on the next. As in her wonderful "Neighborhood Sharks," Roy reels you in with startling facts, then shows how a dominant species is really vulnerable, dependent on humans to choose to practice conservation. ONLINE An expanded visual presentation of this week's column is at nytimes.com/books.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [November 12, 2017]
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Red and Lulu, a pair of cardinals, make their home in "the branches of a mighty evergreen" outside a suburban house: "It was the perfect place to live, all year long." But one day, Red returns to find that the tree has been cut down and placed on a truck, with Lulu trapped inside. In lush watercolor and gouache paintings, Tavares (Lighter than Air) captures Red's frantic search for Lulu, following the truck to New York City; dramatic wordless spreads show the tiny bird flitting past the George Washington Bridge and Rockefeller Center. Finally, Red spots his tree in its place of honor at Rockefeller Center, "more sparkly than ever, but definitely theirs." The birds' reunion is poignant and well earned, and their decision to stay in the city after the holidays poignantly shows how seeming misfortune can lead to unexpected and rewarding opportunities. Ages 3-7. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Surrounded by lights and singing, Christmas is by far the favorite season for Red and Lulu, a pair of cardinals living year-round in a big beautiful evergreen tree. Tragedy strikes late one autumn when the tree is cut down and hauled away with Lulu in it. Red chases the truck as far as he can, ending up lost and alone in New York City. When snow starts to fall, he seeks shelter by following the sound of a familiar song, "O Christmas Tree." He finds Lulu and his tree illuminated in Rockefeller Center, surrounded by a sea of happy people. A brief history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition, which started in 1931, is explained in an afterword. Tavares's detailed watercolor-and-gouache illustrations expertly capture the seasonal atmosphere, including the tension one feels as Red and Lulu are separated from each other. The happy reunion and resolution (including the fact that the tree is recycled and used to build homes for families in need and that the avian couple moves to Central Park) should reassure even the most sensitive of readers. VERDICT A lovely New York story for most holiday collections.-Madeline J Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Two cardinals, Red and Lulu, love their evergreen-tree home in the country. When the tree is cut down--with Lulu still in it--Red follows the delivery truck to New York City. After searching high (the Empire State Building) and low (the NYPL lions), Red finally finds his home--transformed into that years famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree--and is joyously reunited with Lulu. The couple, now enamored of the city, decides to settle in Central Park. Tavaress realistic watercolor and gouache paintings make the most of dramatic birds-eye perspectives, while the story provides a child-friendly backstory for an annual NYC holiday attraction. lolly robinson (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A pair of cardinals is separated and then reunited when their tree home is moved to New York City to serve as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. The male cardinal, Red, and his female partner, Lulu, enjoy their home in a huge evergreen tree located in the front yard of a small house in a pleasant neighborhood. When the tree is cut down and hauled away on a truck, Lulu is still inside the tree. Red follows the truck into the city but loses sight of it and gets lost. The birds are reunited when Red finds the tree transformed with colored lights and serving as the Christmas tree in a complex of city buildings. When the tree is removed after Christmas, the birds find a new home in a nearby park. Each following Christmas, the pair visit the new tree erected in the same location. Attractive illustrations effectively handle some difficult challenges of dimension and perspective and create a glowing, magical atmosphere for the snowy Christmas trees. The original owners of the tree are a multiracial family with two children; the father is African-American and the mother is white. The family is in the background in the early pages, reappearing again skating on the rink at Rockefeller Center with their tree in the background. A touching, beautifully illustrated story of greatest interest to those in the New York City area. (author's note) (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
