Odd Bird Out

September 5, 2011
Robert comes from a family of ravens; their beaks are big and bulky, their eyes are beady and small, and their clothing is a collection of conservative blacks and grays. Robert, on the other hand, favors tulle, brilliant yellow, and inappropriate dancing partners (a beaver in spotted shorts): “Didn’t he know that he was out of tune... that his jokes were juvenile... that the appropriate, the prescribed, the only possible clothing for a raven, was black?” Bansch’s (I Want a Dog!) illustrations have an undeniable gender-bending element—Robert is in dresses and heels much of the time—but the text doesn’t take this up specifically, and readers are free to draw their own conclusions. Faced with mockery for his antics and attire, Robert leaves town to seek his fortune, and some time later a fabulous entertainer named Bobby Raver appears to great popular acclaim—but he never reveals his identity. It’s an unexpected way to argue for accepting people as they are, but Bobby’s decision is his own, and Bansch’s sympathies are clear. Ages 4–up.

October 1, 2011

K-Gr 2-Robert isn't your average, somber, all-in-black, know-it-all raven. He's a chirpy, joking, singing, outrageously dressed bird. Despite repeated criticism, he just continues being himself, much to the dismay of his flock. Finally, the other ravens can take it no more, and they tell him to "Scram! Skedaddle!" Sadly he does just that and flies to a distant tree where he commences to sing himself a lonely song. His song draws birds from all around. Soon a star is born, and Robert takes his act on the road, entertaining birds far and wide. Meanwhile, back at the raven's tree, a bit of regret has set in as things are sober, staid, and boring without Robert. Luckily, concert night brings a new performer, Bobby Raver, who shakes things up and inspires the ravens to be outlandish and have fun. Now if only they could figure out why he looks so familiar. The conversational text is paired with paintings that perfectly capture the raven's nature. Who knew birds could have so many facial expressions and disapproving postures? In his wildly colored outfits and high-heeled shoes, Robert shines amid the status quo, whether he is dancing with a squirrel or telling juvenile jokes in a swimsuit, flippers, goggles, and snorkel. Pair this one with Lynn Munsinger's Tacky the Penguin (1988) and A Porcupine Named Fluffy (1986, both Houghton) for a storytime of odd animals out.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.