Review by Booklist Review
On her birthday, Kit's delighted by her gift, a "small, sleepy surprise"--a guinea pig in Judo attire. But once Kit leaves for school, household cat Dora, dog Bob, and bird Paul aren't so welcoming--"If you're not a cat or a dog or a bird, you're an oddball." Hoping to fit in, the guinea pig tries being birdlike by creating a balloon harness but inadvertently sails out the window. Fortunately, she lands at peppy neighbor Emily's, who shares that she's been called "odd" herself, but she reassures the diminutive pet: "Life's too short not to be an oddball." After snacks and games, Emily brings the guinea pig home, where she receives a hug from Kit, a name--Maud--and the other animals' apologies and acceptance. Inviting, intricately detailed illustrations enliven and lend the narrative plenty of detail and engaging perspectives, including cutaways of the apartment building. While the topic is nothing new, Smith and Laird's charming debut picture book interweaves comical and supportive elements in an entertaining and uplifting read.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A pet seeks belonging in this familiar-feeling narrative, a picture book debut from married collaborators Smith and Laird as well as illustrator Fox. On Kit's birthday, "her present was a soft, small, sleepy surprise"--a guinea pig dressed in a judo outfit ("I'm quite into judo," she explains). But when Kit, portrayed with brown skin, heads out for a bit, the other pets express skepticism about the Surprise. "Oh, she's definitely an oddball," declares Dora the cat; "If you're not a cat or a dog or a bird, you're an oddball." When the Surprise tries to impress by tying balloons to her waist and flying, she floats right out of the window--and, fortuitously, onto the balcony of an Auntie Mame--esque neighbor, red-haired Emily Brookstein, who states, "Life's too short not to be an oddball." After a splendid afternoon of eating macaroons, playing cards, and feeling seen, the Surprise is returned to her owner, who at last gives her a name: Maud. Finally feeling secure about herself and Kit's love, Maud makes a place for herself among the other pets (they even apologize and ask for judo lessons). It's a tonally frewheeling picture book whose chatty narration and dialogue are anchored by precise, fine-lined art and vivid characterizations. Ages 3--7. (June)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A guinea pig who is a surprise birthday gift learns that it's OK to be an oddball. The Surprise is sleepy and dressed in a martial arts uniform. She wakes when Kit, the Black child to whom she was gifted, has left for school, and the other pets surround her. Paul, a bird; Dora, a cat; and Bob, a pug, don't know what she is or what she does, and they conclude that "If you're not a cat or a dog or a bird, you're an oddball." After being ostracized, the Surprise tries to make herself more like the other pets, but the flying device she creates carries her out the window. Blown by a gust of wind, she finds herself at the window of another oddball, who shares macaroons and a game of cards until it is time for the Surprise to return to Kit. When Kit hugs her and introduces her to the other pets by name, the others stop giving her a hard time and welcome her into the fold. Smith and Laird's picture-book debut is adorable and sweet, if surprisingly ordinary; their exploration of the eternal theme of fitting in offers amusing details but no unique angle. Fox's illustrations, in a soft palette, add personality, relying on compositions that emphasize both action and quieter moments of connection. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A fun story of friendship and acceptance that treads familiar territory. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
