Birdie's Happiest Halloween

August 1, 2016
Wardrobe concerns have often loomed large for Rim’s heroine, so it’s only natural that picking the perfect Halloween costume proves tricky for her. A museum visit gets Birdie thinking about dressing up as someone historic (Rim shows portraits of Neil Armstrong, Joan of Arc, Sandra Day O’Connor, and others on display), and when Birdie asks, “Mommy, can I really be anything I want to be?” the subtext of the question extends well beyond costumes. Birdie’s final decision? Well, it involves her dog dressing up as a Secret Service agent, and it’s not a “First Lady” costume, as one of her friends initially guesses. As in the previous Birdie books, Rim creates graceful mixed-media portraits of stylish kids being kids—playing touch football, jumping in autumn leaves, and thinking, just a little, about what their futures might hold. Ages 4–8. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties.

When Birdie can't decide what she would like to be for Halloween, a trip to the art museum is inspirational.Birdie loves everything about fall, especially Halloween and dressing up. She's been a robot and a mummy princess in years past. But now she just can't decide. Her friends share their costume ideas, and even her dog, Monster, has an idea of his own. In a masterful spread that shows the exhibits in one room of the museum, Rim portrays Birdie's delight in the paintings, photos, and sculptures around her; labels, arrows, and short captions tell who they are and why they are famous: Betsy Ross, Neil Armstrong, Joan of Arc, Amelia Earhart, Sandra Day O'Connor, Martin Luther King Jr., William Shakespeare, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, George Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Leonardo da Vinci. While Birdie's decision isn't instantaneous--she first asks her mom if she can really be anything she wants, and she imagines herself as several of those famous figures--her final choice is fitting both for Birdie, a white redhead with strong ideas, and for our current political milieu. Rim's watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, and collage illustrations suit the fall theme, the colors and patterns blending to create nice, autumnal tableaux. Yes, readers, you too can be whatever you want, for Halloween and in life. (Picture book. 4-8) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Birdie loves the fall. She loves apple picking, cool weather, and playing football with her friends, but most of all Birdie loves Halloween. She loves to dress up, go trick-or-treating, and carving pumpkins. Most times, she has no problem deciding what to be, but this year is different. She knows she can be anything she wants, but what does she want to be? During a trip to the museum, Birdie is introduced to an array of historical figures, but she doesn't want to be Sandra Day O'Connor, Neil Armstrong, or Eleanor Roosevelt. If Birdie can really be anything she wants, then she is going to be the president of the United States. This timely holiday story is charming, and the message is clear. The magic of dressing up at Halloween is that we can let our imaginations run wild. In the end, Birdie dreams big and celebrates her best Halloween ever. VERDICT This lighthearted offering is a good addition to any library's holiday collection, especially with this being an election year with the possibility of a female president.-Betsy Davison, Cortland Free Library, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.