A House for Every Bird

December 15, 2020
A young artist learns that our inner worlds are more than what meets the eye. An unnamed child is on a seemingly simple mission: to draw a bunch of birds and sketch a house for each of them. At first, the brown-skinned protagonist's creative process is fairly straightforward, matching each avian to a home that shares their physical characteristics. "Red for red," the narrator explains, and "tall for tall." Readers receive a bird's-eye view of the drawings, rendered in perfect, youthful splendor by Juanita. Despite the child's best efforts, the birds don't seem to agree with their housing assignments. Blue Bird and Orange Bird want to swap spots while Large Bird prefers a tiny abode. Ducks may typically be found in ponds, but the young artist's duck "[doesn't] swim, man." As the discerning birds and their maker argue, the frustrated child soon realizes that the birds' unexpected preferences are not the issue--the artist's own assumptions are. Instead of guessing based on presuppositions, the protagonist learns that simply asking is the best way to know what someone likes. Interactions among the child and their artistic subjects are depicted in Juanita's expressive signature style; her use of texture, color, and detail is the book's highlight. They expand on Maynor's thoughtful--if rather clunky--narrative, together comically teaching youth to let others define themselves and avoid the pitfalls of inadvertent stereotyping. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 14.1% of actual size.) A fresh and funny take on an old moral. (Picture book. 5-10)

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January 4, 2021
A young brown-skinned artist draws an eclectic group of birds in this funny and subtly incisive story, each with a quirky house that matches their color or size: “Red for red,/ tall for tall./ A house/ for one,/ a house/ for all.” But the creations immediately balk—and squawk—at being pigeonholed based on their looks. Blue Bird and Orange Bird insist on swapping houses (“Blue is my vibe—so cool, so calm,” says Orange Bird); a diminutive bird wants larger digs to accommodate a huge singing group, and Large Bird prefers snug quarters “where I can touch all the walls at once.” Seeing their rebellion as nothing short of ingratitude, the child gestures in frustration: “How was I supposed to KNOW what you like?”—“ASK US!” is the reply. Both Maynor’s (Helga Makes a Name for Herself) dialogue text and Juanita’s (When Aidan Became a Brother) digital art have a loose, improvisational feel that captures the thrill and frustration of a work in progress—and the value of empathy and flexibility in getting to know others. Ages 3–6. Author’s agent: Minju Chang, BookStop Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Charlotte Sheedy, Charlotte Sheedy Literary.