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Summary
Summary
From the creator of Little Owl Lost and Oh No, George! comes a funny, strikingly illustrated story of best-laid plans -- and the secret to attracting the birdie.
Four friends creep through the woods, and what do they spot? An exquisite bird high in a tree! "Hello birdie," waves one. "Shh! We have a plan," hush the others. They stealthily make their advance, nets in the air. Ready one, ready two, ready three, and go ! But as one comically foiled plan follows another, it soon becomes clear that their quiet, observant companion, hand outstretched, has a far better idea. Award-winning author-illustrator Chris Haughton is back with another simple, satisfying story whose visual humor plays out in boldly graphic, vibrantly colorful illustrations.
Author Notes
Chris Haughton is the creator of Little Owl Lost and Oh No, George! He has taught many courses in design and illustration around the world. In 2007, he was named one of Time Magazine's DESIGN 100 for his work for Fair Trade and People Tree, and in 2011 he was named one of Booktrust's Best New Illustrators. Originally from Dublin, Chris Haughton now lives in London.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Three hunters with nets trudge through a deep forest of violets and blues, their wide eyes unblinking in the gloom. They're comically small and troll-like, and they're trailed by a fourth companion who's even stumpier. The hunters spot an exquisite scarlet bird. Hello, birdie, says the smallest hunter, prompting hushes from his companions, who tell him, We have a plan. The three hunters tiptoe forward, nets ready, but fall over each other like the Keystone Kops when they pounce. The bird sails off, undisturbed, and the pattern of greeting, hushing, and pouncing repeats with equally slapstick results. Big, blocky shapes and intense hues make the action simple to follow, and Haughton's (Oh No, George!) text is similarly telegraphic. Eventually, the bird flies toward the littlest hunter after being offered a bit of bread, a flock of phantasmagorically colored birds gathers, and the hunters get their comeuppance. The delicious stupidity of the hunting trio, the purity of heart of their small companion, and the sweet-tempered drama of each page turn make this a classic exercise in picture-book making. Ages 3--7. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
With cover art recalling Ungerer's The Three Robbers (rev. 6/62) and the wry sensibility of Klassen's Hat books, this is a natural choice for any storytime. A spare, humorous text pairs with blocky digital illustrations to tell the story of four companions (three of them outfitted with nets) out hunting in the woods; there they spy a bird, its vibrant red plumage interrupting the controlled palette of blue shades. The three larger hunters shush their smallest, netless cohort when he calls out, "Hello birdie." "We have a plan," they admonish him. Subsequent bird-catching attempts stretch out over page turns to enhance the slapstick humor of the hunters' pratfalls. The littlest one, persistent in his ongoing attempts to make contact with the bird, acts on the adage that it's easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar -- or in this case, with crumbs rather than nets. Indeed, not only does that first red bird fly to his outstretched hand, a flock of multicolored birds assembles, making good on the book's front-matter epigraph from Einstein: "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." The avian peaceable kingdom is short-lived, however, when the three hunters reappear with their nets -- they clearly haven't absorbed the little one's ethos. The birds chase them away, but the closing spread -- "LOOK! a squirrel" -- humorously underscores their failure to learn from their small friend. Plan on repeat readings. megan dowd lambert (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Four friends are quietly trundling through a dusky grove when they spot a radiant bird in the distance. Hi, birdie, says the smallest, but the three bigger friends, all wielding nets, have other ideas. They shush the fourth and silently sneak over, but they're thwarted at the last minute when the bird flies away. It happens again and again, but the smallest guy all eyes, hat, and limbs takes a different approach and offers his flighty new friend some bread. Then another bird arrives, and another, and soon the gloaming is full of brilliantly bright birds. It's a dream come true, until the friends are outnumbered and the birds seek out some well-earned revenge on their would-be captors. Haughton's stylish digital illustrations in chunky patches of color make masterful use of hue and contrast the jazzy warm-toned birds are vibrant when set against the crepuscular blues of the friends and the woods. With only a few words total, a repeated refrain, and a visually unmistakable plot, this is a great choice for emergent readers or a group storytime.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2014 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-In a gorgeous nocturnal landscape of deep purples and blues, four figures go marching along. The three big ones are holding nets, and the little one trails slightly behind. Suddenly, they spy a bright pink bird in the tree. "Hello, birdie," calls the little one. "Shh," reprimands the first one. "SHH!" hisses the next. "We have a plan," explains the third, holding up a birdcage. They tiptoe towards the bird with hilariously expressive body language until, "ready one...ready two...ready three...GO!" But the bird easily evades them, and the three end up in a tangle while the little one looks on. The scenario and "shhs" repeat, and finally, while the big ones are literally down the creek without a paddle, the little one makes friends. In a breathtakingly rich spread, a flock of colorful, jewel-toned birds appear and drive the schemers into retreat. Echoing the opening, the big ones quick-step along under the moonlit sky, nervously glancing behind them and dragging the little one along. The story seems over, but they haven't quite learned their lesson yet. A masterful delight, this crafty caper has huge kid appeal and a title/refrain that will easily sneak into the family lexicon: shh! We have a plan. This perfect blend of circular narrative, deceptively spare art, and humor becomes a story that kids will want to read at storytime, at home, and to themselves if no adult is handy. Plan to make this title a first purchase.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A peace-waging parable, presented with wry minimalism la Jon Klassen or Tomi Ungerer. Carrying nets, three hunters creep up on a sleeping bird in a dark forest, but thanks to their own clumsiness, they repeatedly manage to get in one another's way as the bird slips off. Meanwhile, despite their frantic shushing, a smaller, fourth figure waves and calls out "hello birdie," offering bread. Soon, an entire flock has gathered around number four's feeta flock that proceeds to turn and chase the hunters away. The text runs to just a few words per page, but it neatly serves to crank up the suspense: "ready one / ready two / ready three // GO!" Haughton (Oh No, George!, 2012) uses a palette of deep blues and purples for his simple forest scenes; this causes the hunters' googly eyes to stand out comically and also makes the fuchsia, red and orange birds easy to spot and follow. Last seen creeping up on a squirrel, the hunters have plainly learned nothing from their experiencebut young readers might. Sure to "net" young audiences, who will definitely root for the birds. (Picture book. 5-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
