Wordy Birdy, as her name suggests, is one talkative bird. From the moment she wakes up in her treetop home, she’ll happily give you a running commentary about, well, anything—from what she likes (“spaghetti and unicorns and library books”) to what she doesn’t (“tall grass or turtlenecks or long lines or tuna salad”). She is also good at asking a lot of questions, but what Wordy Birdy is not so good at? Listening to the answers.
So when Wordy Birdy sets off on a walk into the deep, dark forest, she is too busy talking to notice the dire signs about danger ahead, or to hear the warnings from her raccoon, squirrel and rabbit friends, who beg her to turn around. Will Wordy Birdy stop talking and start listening before it’s too late?
Obviously, Wordy Birdy is a story with a clear message that will be relevant to a lot of young readers (and their grown-ups). Author Tammi Sauer balances the story’s moral with plenty of hilarity, and Dave Mottram’s cartoon-like illustrations—including bright plumage that matches Wordy Birdy’s zany personality—amp up the fun in this silly story. Cartoon speech bubbles help highlight the importance of the story’s dialogue and bring Wordy Birdy’s voice to life. It would be fun to hear this story read by two readers—one to seriously read the narrator’s and sidekicks’ voices, and one to have fun with Wordy Birdy’s many words.
This is one story that kids will love to listen to.
