Bird Hugs

by Ged Adamson (Author)

Bird Hugs
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

Bernard isn't like other birds. His wings are impossibly long, and try as he might, he just can't seem to fly. He's left wondering what his wings are good for...if they're even good for anything at all.

But a chance encounter with a dejected orangutan leads Bernard to a surprising discovery: that maybe what makes him different is actually something to be embraced.

Select format:
Hardcover
$17.99

Kirkus

Readers will agree: All differences should be hugged, er, embraced.

ALA/Booklist

[A] humorous story with an important takeaway: our differences can be the very thing that make us dear to others, and embracing those differences can lead to the best things in life.

Publishers Weekly

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.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

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.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes




Ged Adamson
Ged Adamson was born in Liverpool, England and as a child he was obsessed with drawing, listening to music, and making up tunes. In 2016, his story about a short-sighted dog, Douglas, You Need Glasses! received rave reviews and became his breakthrough picture book. Ged has since written and illustrated many books including Shark Dog! and A Fox Found a Box. He lives with his partner Helen and their son Rex in London, England.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781542092715
Lexile Measure
480
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Two Lions
Publication date
February 01, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV002040 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Birds
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
Library of Congress categories
Birds
Picture books
Individual differences
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

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