Birdhouse for Rent
reS-K-A year in the life of a birdhouse-told in the first person. Ziefert is able to make this inanimate object a believable character, and readers will sympathize with it when first bees and then chipmunks move in, and later rejoice when some chickadees arrive. Children will also experience satisfaction when Mrs. Chickadee lays her eggs (although a few of them meet a sorry fate at the paws of a cat that lurks throughout the book), and when the chicks are hatched and growing. The artwork is as direct as the text, with deep, soft colors and dynamic compositions. The animals shown are sketchy in detail but have remarkably lifelike eyes. This artful collaboration will be enjoyable as a cross between a story and a mood piece. On a secondary level, it will be useful as a resource on seasonal changes, weather, and animal life. Though not an essential purchase for all libraries, in its quiet way it's charming and effective.Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, ILCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.