"WHO? WHO? WHO?
An owl tried to help by asking
the little bird some questions.
Wait!
But the owl flew away before
the little bird could answer."
Hitting its head on a tree trunk has this little bird puzzled. The bump is hard enough to make it forget what kind of bird it is. It determines that it will need help from other birds in his forest home. It isn't long until it meets up with a nightingale; its song is unpleasant and an assault on the nightingale's ears. Not a nightingale. On it goes to a robin ... cannot eat a worm. Not a robin. The eagle assures it is much too small to be an eagle. Not an eagle.
Tenacious in its quest for identity, it moves ever forward. Doesn't have the stomach to eat a rat. Not a crow. An owl, an egret, a sandpiper, a duck, a chicken, a woodpecker, it is not! In a stroke of good luck, he chooses to stop at a birdbath and slake his thirst. Along comes a similar-looking bird ... same size, familiar coloring; finally, he has a name and a new home and family.
David McPhail knows his audience. He creates stories for our youngest readers, knowing their interest in learning and their love of nature. His little bird is never discouraged while attempting to discover something important about itself. In the end, his patience pays off when he meets a mate for life.
The pen and ink images, filled in with watercolors, are soft and gentle. They invite careful observation. Humor is added in the speech balloons that prove the lost bird is simply not a part of the many bird families he meets. This is a soothing tale, perfect for any quiet reading time.
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