School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-An enthusiastic killdeer chick hatches ("Ta-da!") and discovers what he can do in the wondrous world around him. "I've studied me, and oh, my word. I am one amazing bird! This stripe is handsome, don't you think? And look! My eyes can.blink blink blink!" While the rhymes occasionally feel forced, the overall rhythm is satisfying and energetic. There is even a lovely surprise at the end: another chick being hatched. The watercolor and ink illustrations show just the right amount of detail in the chick's surroundings and cheerfully portray his delight in his appearance and accomplishments.-Brooke Rasche, La Crosse Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
"CRACK!" Using its cute little head as a battering ram, a killdeer chick emerges from its egg, and on long spindly legs asserts its bubbly personality: "I've studied me, and oh, my word," writes Esbaum, "I am one amazing bird!" With a "Kil-DEE!/ Kil-DEE!/ Kil-DEE-DEE-DEE!" the bird scoots around its idyllic habitat, literally grabbing lunch with Mama-"Snails and beetles,/ worms (a bunch!)"- and meeting with an even newer-born sister ("Don't worry, I know EVERYTHING!"). Although the singsong rhyming can veer toward cutesiness, Esbaum (Tom's Tweet) captures the egocentric worldview and inexhaustible energy of a bird toddler while presenting a refreshingly species-specific narrative. But the real attraction is Corace's (The Steadfast Tin Soldier) ink, watercolor, and pencil drawings, a nicely calibrated mix of cheery spot illustrations and more theatrical spreads. The hand-drawn lines and applique-like use of colors create a rustic, stylized playfulness that invigorates the rural setting, while conveying the sense of a charismatic young hero-in-the-making. Ages 2-4. Author's agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
