Stinkbird Has a Superpower
by Jill Esbaum (Author) Bob Shea (Illustrator)
A hilarious and factual introduction to the Amazonian hoatzin—or stinkbird—and its surprising, incredible superpower. (Spoiler alert: it's more than just the stink!)
Stinkbirds have a lot in common with other birds: they have feathers, wings, and a beak. But they also have . . . a hidden superpower!
Papa Stinkbird can't wait to tell readers just what makes stinkbird chicks so special, but his adorable son keeps interrupting with questions. They banter about the cool things hoatzins do to evade predators and then the chick demonstrates one—jumping into the river! (Don't worry—he can swim!) But he can't fly yet, so how is the chick going to get back up to the nest? You'll have to read to find out his real superpower.
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Publishers Weekly
As the title of this effusive factual accounting promises, the Amazonian hoatzin--also known as the stinkbird--does have a superpower of sorts. But that power is not, as gaudily orange, pheasant-esque Papa Hoatzin explains to his purple chick, "MY POOPY SMELL!" (even though the quality is super effective at warding off predators). Parent-chick banter from Esbaum (Frog Boots) continues to explore potential superpowers, including hoatzins' precarious nests, in branches that extend over water. This placement allows the chicks, who lack adult birds' fetid odor, to easily swim underwater to escape predators. ("Food? I'm food?!" the chick says tearfully before successfully taking a plunge.) At last, the real superpower is revealed: young hoatzins have claws on their wings that allow them to climb trees back into the nest, "like little acrobats." Peppy, unmistakably fact-forward text gets plenty of zhuzh via digital images by Shea (I Am a Baby). Flat, tropical colors and layers of leaves convey the rainforest's lushness while providing a suitably theatrical backdrop for an idiosyncratic family's celebration of pride. Facts conclude. Ages 5-8. Author's agent: Tricia Lawrence, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (May)
Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV029000 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | General
JUV030040 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Caribbean & Latin America
Animals
Infancy
Picture books
Father and child
Animal defenses
Animal fiction
Hoactzin
Hoatzins
