"After a long and happy childhood, I finally
left the nest on my sixteenth day.
That summer and fall,
I was free as a bird,
learning to catch bugs
and hanging around the forest.
But then came winter.
A shocking thing happened:
cold flakes fell from the sky!"
The masked rapscallion who here tells his own story is code-named Chickadee. In fact, that is what he is. Just the same, he is sure his mask keeps him from being identified by the other forest animals. You would guess they know him by the song he sings. Wouldn't you?
"CHICKA DEE DEE DEE!"
The story he tells begins at birth. Loved and coddled by his delighted parents, he is offered much parental advice. After sixteen days, he is ready to leave the home tree and find his way in the world. All is well until winter makes finding food difficult. On a flight past a nearby house, he makes a grand discovery. Thus, begins his life of crime. He plans carefully, swoops in and takes what is offered time and time again.
Keeping the loot from others is not difficult. There are hundreds of perfect hiding places; he knows exactly where each one is. While his criminal life sounds plenty exciting, it is also fraught with loneliness. Until two children spot him ... and destroy his perception of himself. They wanted him to find their feeder! It changes his life, bringing his sordid story of crime to an end.
Perhaps now, he can find a true friend.
Humorous and eventful, this story is sure to cause more than one chuckle. I love the first-person storytelling and the wholesome appeal of this cheeky little bird. It's wonderful to see him try to obey all the parental rules until he succumbs to the growl in his stomach. Their rules go out the window. How happy he finally is to discover he is not such a 'bad seed'. The digital artwork is as appealing as the story itself. Readers will be pleased to see the rascal speak directly to them. The illustrations definitely add a charming humour to the entire story.
Back matter includes further enjoyable facts about the black-capped chickadee, the star of the story. A list of select resources is also included.
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