"The stage is set.
The crowd is waiting.
Squirrel loves a crowd, so Squirrel is
oh-so-easy-breezy. Look at that BIG smile.
No nerves at all.
Bird is not relaxed in the least.
Look, Bird is freaking out!
Maybe Squirrel should perform alone."
The elegance and texture of the cover and the high spirits of the endpapers are a visual and tactile invitation for young readers to get to the business of enjoying this tale of two friends, whose personalities are polar opposites of each other. The two are introduced as what they are: a squirrel and a bird. In following pages, readers learn that Squirrel is LOUD while Bird hardly makes a sound.
The narrator then gets in the way of Bird's quiet responses.
"Did you say something, Bird?
See? Silence.
You didn't really give
me a chance - "
At the next turn of the page, the audience is told that while Squirrel is always busy, Bird prefers doing nothing. Could that be true? Though the two are unlike one another, they are best of friends. Together, they are making preparations for a concert. All forest denizens have been invited to come and enjoy the event. As they ready themselves to perform, it's easy to see that Squirrel is filled with excitement and confidence while Bird is literally pulsating with fear. The comparisons are repeated. Now, it is Bird's turn to have a say: ENOUGH!
Bird shares a thoughtful comment about who the two truly are. The forest animals are surprised as Bird goes on to share that each can be quite different from what they appear to be. The narrator concedes that the opinions shared have only been a small part of who the two are.
"We are Squirrel and Bird.
Sometimes we are loud.
Sometimes we are quiet.
And that's okay
because we can be
whoever we want to be."
The minimal text invites emerging readers to try their hand at reading independently once they have heard the tale a number of times. The warm and detailed artwork tells a parallel story to the narrator's observations. Using variety in presentation and engaging details, Stacey Thomas ensures that readers know exactly what is going on as the two friends work together in preparation for a most enjoyable performance for their friends.
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