A Home for Bird
PreS-Gr 1-In this touching story of an unlikely, but fulfilling companionship, Vernon the toad searches high and low for his shy and seemingly lost new friend, Bird. Right from the beginning, Stead's emotional and detailed mixed-media illustrations inform readers what Vernon does not know-that Bird fell out of a cuckoo clock off a pickup truck before being found by Vernon while scavenging for useful odds and ends. Assuming that Bird is quiet because he's missing home, Vernon travels with him to search for his house. They find many different places that could make good homes for Bird-an old bird cage, a birdhouse, a nest, even a mailbox-but Bird remains quiet, making Vernon sad. A determined friend, Vernon continues searching until they find a pickup truck full of interesting things and a small blue house perfect for Bird, making him "cuckoo" with joy. The richly colored drawings are the perfect companions to this classic story of kindhearted friendship and belonging and will be a welcome addition to any collection or storytime.-Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NYα(c) Copyright 2011.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.