Bird Hugs

Bernard is a tiny bird whose long wings--so long that when he stands on a tree branch, the wings tumble almost to the ground--mean that he doesn't fly like the other birds. Adamson (A Fox Found a Box) draws his protagonist in expressive watercolor and pencil: Bernard is a softly textured lilac circle with big eyes and a pert orange beak. When it's clear that not even a catapult can help him fly, Bernard takes to "a lonely branch," but stops feeling sorry for himself when he discovers that he is uniquely suited to offer enveloping, life-affirming hugs. First he perks up a depressed orangutan ("I feel very sad and I'm not sure why!"), and soon all the animals (and a brave worm) are lining up--not only for hugs but for some therapy as well ("Sleeping in the day, I feel like I'm missing all the fun," a glum bat confides). The lesson is a simple, familiar one--selflessness and sympathy are key to making friends--but Adamson's gentle humor and his eager-eyed characters' yearning become an eloquent testimony to the power of a little TLC. Ages 3-7. Agent: Isabel Atherton, Creative Authors. (Feb.)

PreS-Gr 2--A tiny purple bird longs to fly with his feathered friends but is grounded by his extremely long wings. After many failed attempts at staying airborne, including being sprung from a slingshot, Bernard resigns himself to a solitary life on a lonely branch. Seasons pass and the woebegone birdie stays perched, with his droopy, scarf-like appendages trailing despondently down the tree trunk. When Bernard hears a sob coming from "someone even more dejected," he offers comfort. The little bird's compassionate nature, combined with a mammoth wingspan, makes him a top-notch hugger. Word soon spreads throughout the forest, and a long line of animals wait their turn for some loving attention. Adamson's warm and expressive watercolor and pencil illustrations show Bernard wrapped around a ticklish crocodile, snuggled up beside a blissed-out bunny, and patiently listening to a bat's troubles during an evening therapy session. This small bird discovers he can reach new heights by leaning on his peers. VERDICT Told with humor and heart, this sweet friendship tale soars.--Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ont.