Vernon the frog stumbles upon a knick-knack craft scultpurey thing of a bird. He introduces his new friend bird to his friends, skunk and porcupine, explaining that bird is very shy. The three friends (and some others besides) decide that bird is unhappy and they set out to find a good home for bird.
The story is engaging (even for adults) the illustrations are delightful -- a bit cartoony (see illustrations above) but also really quite beautiful. This is a good book.
Smith, Lane (2012) Abe Lincoln's Dream New York: Roaring Brook Press
Anything Lane Smith writes always strikes me as being just a single degree or two off from the normal world we live in. It isn't a big enough shift that you can pinpoint what makes it seem so odd -- but clearly it is something.
In this story, the ghost of Abe Lincoln confides in a little African-American girl about his recurring nightmare that he keeps having. She shows him around the world of the 21st century and together they conclude that although this world is far from perfect, some of the things Lincoln put in motion have borne fruit.
This illustrations are oddly wonderful (not sure if a little kid would like them) and the storyline mores along quickly. Not many words per page, which might make it good for new readers and restless readers alike. Good stuff.
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