Bird House

March 15, 2021
A little yellow bird is grounded in the snow with a broken leg when a child and their abuela rescue it. Cupping it gently in her hands, Abuela takes the bird home and sets its leg while her grandchild eagerly looks on. Settling the bird in a domed cage, they both care for it until, soon, the bird is flying around the house--to the child's delight and the cat's frustration. The day comes to release the healed bird, and the child waves it on its way as it flies over the city. But one spring day a familiar sight greets them--their winged friend has returned. Although the child yearns to keep it, Abuela soothingly reminds her grandchild that the bird belongs to itself and has the right to fly free. But Abuela constructs a sturdy birdhouse from a blueprint and mounts it beside the balcony door--an implicit invitation for future visits. Spanish author/illustrator G�mez's semiautobiographical tribute to her own abuela is a charming window into an idyllic childhood infused with love for all living things. The simple, flowing first-person narrative flits from page to page in a gentle lilting commentary on harmony and respect. G�mez's carefully constructed images, from the well-tended profusion of plants to the child-sized chair and mouse toy, are whimsically detailed and subtly compelling. Both child and Abuela have light-brown skin. A Spanish-language edition, Un p�jaro en casa, publishes simultaneously. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-16-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.) This little gem elicits a sense of deep-seated comfort and refuge for these uncertain times. (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 15, 2021
Preschool-Grade 2 Walking outdoors in winter, a little girl and her abuela find an injured bird and carry it home. Abuela cares for the yellow bird during its recovery. While healing, it lives in a cage, but sometimes Abuela lets it fly around her living room. Her granddaughter is charmed, saying, "It was fantastic. But everything was always fantastic at Abuela's house." Her grandmother opens the window after the bird recovers, and it flies away. In the spring, the bird returns, and, though the child would like to keep it, her abuela explains, "It doesn't belong to us, but it can visit anytime." The concise, well-worded text sets the tone and tells the story, while leaving plenty of space for the expressive digital illustrations to work their magic. Viewers can feel the chill in the winter-walk scenes and the brightness when spring arrives, but the warmth between the child and her grandmother is evident throughout the book. A promising debut for G�mez, a Spanish artist, as a writer as well as illustrator of picture books.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.