Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
As Nickel (Breaking Through the Clouds) explains, the name Seven is considered lucky in the pigeon community, commemorating the 7,000-mile journey that marks "the farthest any pigeon has flown to get back home." But the feathered protagonist who bears this name is treated as more misfit than lucky duck. Seven, a solo hatchling in a world of two-egg families, is constantly distracted from typical pigeon behavior by the enchanting scents around him, including florals and the "nutty perfume" of rice. When his passion for scents interferes with the crucial pigeon skill of homing, his rule-bound flock is scandalized, and his parents lay down the law: "From now on, pigeons act like pigeons." Yet when a thick fog leaves the flock unable to navigate, it's Seven's keen sense of smell that guides them to safety. In a story in which a protagonist's perceived failing save the day ("He homed? He homed!"), luxuriant watercolor, gouache, and ink illustrations from Sicuro (If You Find a Leaf) set Seven against a Parisian-style landscape of colorful mansard rooftops and meandering cobblestone streets. Human characters are portrayed with various skin tones. A note about pigeons concludes. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Victoria Wells Arms, HG Literary. Illustrator's agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. (Apr.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Typically, two nestlings are born when pigeons mate. But not this time. There's only one egg in the clutch, producing a single squab. His parents name him Seven, a lucky name, because seven thousand miles is "the farthest any pigeon," known for their homing behaviors, "has flown to get back home." Drawn to the tantalizing smells around him, Seven makes solitary trips to bring back fragrant flowers to line the family's nest, a departure from the usual twigs and straw. The other pigeons despairingly whisper about Seven's differences: "He doesn't nest. He doesn't flock. And remember, there was only one." Seven's parents diligently work with their offspring, providing instructions in homing skills, but these lessons don't dissuade him from his natural instincts. When the entire flock embarks on its annual ceremonial seven-hundred-mile homing journey, they are thrown off course by a dense fog that prohibits them from seeing the way. Seven, with his extraordinary sense of smell, leads them home and thus is finally celebrated rather than ridiculed. The story's lessons -- of accepting and even commending differences, and that nonconformity may be a result of being true to oneself -- are clear but nondidactic. Sicuro's soft pastel watercolor, gouache, and pen-and-ink illustrations complement the gentle tone. An author's note provides additional information about pigeons, including theories about how they home. Betty CarterMarch/April 2025 p.54 (c) Copyright 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 young pigeon defies his flock by being himself. The meaning ofhome is twofold for pigeons; it's a noun referring to family and flock but also a verb: to home, or find one's way back. Home becomes a fraught situation for Seven, who's seen as different from the beginning. Though pigeons usually hatch in pairs, Seven's mother lays only a single egg. The catty flock gossips about him: "There is only one!" The other pigeons stick together, eating crumbs, but Seven prefers to dine on fragrant grains of rice. And while other pigeons build nests out of twigs and straw, Seven relies on rose petals; he loves their scent. When his father tries to teach him homing skills--and to make a mental map of the roads below--Seven's strong sense of smell leads him off-course; his mother scolds him. The flock's inevitable comeuppance arrives during the "Big Flight," their annual 7,000-mile journey together. Fog scrambles the flock's mental maps, while Seven sniffs his way over trees and toward their city. As Seven leads them home, his unique abilities are finally appreciated. Seven, a charming pigeon with a nose for beauty, appears dapper in Sicuro's gentle, digitally assembled watercolor, gouache, and ink spreads. The other pigeons' scraggly feet and big eyes convey both haughtiness and exuberance as they perch or fly through the gentle pastels of an unnamed vintage-styled, racially diverse European-esque city. An uplifting tale that celebrates difference. (about pigeons)(Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
