Froodle

Froodle
Written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-1596439221
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Date of publication: May 6, 2014
Age: 4 - 8 years

Themes: birds, the norm, unconventionalism, changes, friends

On an average day, in an average neighborhood: the dog barks, the cat meows, and the birds chirp. But what if a certain little brown bird is tired of saying, "peep?" Today will not be average. Today, little brown bird is going to say, "froodle!" And the raven, dove, and cardinal just don't quite know what to do about it.

It's the all of the birds collectively that really make this book rather fantastic. Sure, the brown bird is the one to get the ball rolling, but it's the (spoiler alert!) coming around of the other birds that makes me happy. In particular, I love it when the big raven finally gives it a try. The illustration is fantastic in that part--you just have to read it to see what I mean. All of the illustrations are fantastic. Also, reading it aloud is a must--it's just so fun!

Beyond the cuteness of the book, there's a moral behind the story. All the great ones have one! With this book, you can take the opportunity to talk with your child about change. This change may be brought about by a good friend doing something in a new and crazy way--is it something your child should try? Or maybe your child is the one who wants to try to shake things up a bit. Also, you can examine the different birds reactions and the impact of brown bird's actions. What are the consequences of the change?

See? It can get pretty deep around here. Just go check it out!

Find it at your library or on Amazon