Review by Booklist Review
Lawrence, a boy who lives in a cozy house with a small fenced-in yard, avoids going "out there," where things are big, loud, and crowded. Sophia, a little bird living in a tree just outside Lawrence's fence, avoids going "down there" to ground level, where things are dark, bumpy, and dangerous. One day, she bravely walks along a branch and sees Lawrence through his window. Thrilled to have a visitor, Lawrence begins meeting her outdoors: Sophia on her branch, and he in his yard. Playing together, they become friends. Lawrence moves into a tent beneath her branch, but when a fierce thunderstorm motivates each one to search for the other, they face their fears and find each other. Author of the Caldecott Honor Book Click, Clack, Moo (2000), Cronin offers a charming story that will resonate with children who are shy or anxious around unfamiliar people and places. Written with simplicity and sensitivity, the well-structured story reads aloud well. The delicate illustrations, created with poster paint, suit the quiet tone of this satisfying picture book.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Pale-skinned young Lawrence is reluctant to head "out there," beyond his small cottage's backyard ("Out there was very big. Out there was very loud"). In desaturated images with electric-hued highlights, Brian Cronin (The Lost House) shows Lawrence safely within the fence, buried in a book. Sophia, a bird with fluffy blue feathers and a bright pink topknot, travels from tree to tree, avoiding the ground "down there" ("Down there was dark. Down there was bumpy"). When Sophia walks to the end of a long branch and spies Lawrence through his bedroom window, they become good friends, enjoying pastimes that don't require venturing out. (One spread shows Sophia perched high up, wearing a costume wig with long, lime-green braids as Lawrence declaims, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair.") Eventually, Sophia moves her nest closer to Lawrence, who builds an outdoor tent to be closer to Sophia. And when rain and thunder drive the two to check on each other, each leaves their respective comfort zones to do so. In a lightly rib-tickling examination of fright and friendship, Doreen Cronin (Click, Clack, Moo) suggests that shared perspectives and accountable friends represent a promising path to wider vistas. Ages 4--8. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K--The world away from one's home can be a scary place, and few creatures understand the fear of the unknown better than a man named Lawrence and a bird named Sophia. Though they live in the same general vicinity, it is not until Sophia bravely ventures to the end of a very long tree branch that she and Lawrence begin to see each other for the first time. Despite their fears, the two build an unlikely friendship, and when a storm hastily approaches, they do what they must, separately, to ensure the other is safe from harm. This charming picture book is a gentle reminder that everyone feels reservations sometimes, but with the right companion, bravery can take root. From the outset, a parallel structure in the storytelling will draw readers' attention to the palpable similarities between Lawrence and Sophia despite outward differences. Because the text is relatively short, young readers will find this book highly approachable, and they will likewise enjoy examining the detailed illustrations. The images frequently say more than the words do, with subtle humor and occasionally interwoven between the words and the pictures, enhancing the appeal of the book. Soft, muted hues and texture-rich illustrations give the book an almost tactile quality. VERDICT This enjoyable story of two unlikely friends who make each other brave is a good addition to library collections.--Mary R. Lanni
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
What happens when a shy, stay-at-home boy meets a timid, tree-bound bird? Large, googly eyeballs are the common physical trait of Lawrence--a light-skinned child who apparently lives alone in a pale green house surrounded by a stockade fence--and Sophia, a blue owlish bird whose nesting tree is just outside that fence. Shadowy figures of other people and animals are sometimes observable beyond the fence, but the two protagonists have the entire story and the quirky, watercolor artwork to themselves. And no more is needed for heartwarming entertainment! Simple text makes it clear that Lawrence does not go beyond his yard because "out there" is "very big," "very loud," and "very crowded." Sophia stays up in the treetops because "down there" is "dark," "bumpy," and "dangerous." A friendship slowly develops, with the duo finding clever ways of sharing activities without either of them moving beyond their respective comfort zone--complemented by very funny art. Soon after Sophia builds her nest closer to Lawrence's house and Lawrence erects a tent near Sophia's tree, a storm breaks out. Each character is so worried about the other's welfare that they both undergo great transformations, conveyed in a way that will be easily understood by the youngest of readers. The final page adds the finishing touch to a tale that quietly applauds both the efforts and the rewards of friendship building and risk-taking. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Read it and smile. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
