Bird Hardcover – Picture Book, September 1, 2015

I thought the illustrations were beautiful; as was the message!

Summary: A series of pictures show a flock of birds starting at 10:05. As the hour moves on, the pictures zoom in, until a single bird is pictured at 11:00. Starting at 11:00, the bird is shown on one page, and a girl on the facing page. The girl is clearly getting ready to attempt a flight of her own, dressed in a white flight suit, adjusting her goggles, wings strapped to her back. As the time moves close to 12:00, the bird appears fatigued and his feathers start to fall out. By noon, he has transformed into a boy. He gently alights on one end of a seesaw; the girl waits on the other end. As soon as he lands, she is off. The final page shows her metamorphosis into a bird, and the last picture is the same flock that appeared in the first one. Ages 8 and up.Pros: A wordless picture book full of wonder. Who are the children? Why do they turn into birds? What do the times signify? Children will have to call on their imaginations to guess what is happening in the pictures.Cons: No easy answers.

This is one of the most beautiful, strangest, most intriguing children’s books I’ve ever read. It begins with a bird flying through a dark sky, while a young person in white is getting ready… for what exactly? Nothing about the narrative is handed to you, but you’re pulled along as the bird makes progress and the young person is clearly waiting for something. I don’t know whether to classify this as fantasy or science fiction. Or maybe it’s unclassifiable.The back cover says “Let Your Imagination Fly.” If engaging the imagination was Vidal’s goal, she’s succeeded. The art is delicate, sophisticated, and clearly done with great care. (Some of it is watercolor, and some colored pencil, I think?) Absolutely worth reading with a child, or on your own.

The wordless story has flight as its focal point. The artwork is lovely. Martin Vidal has another wordless book with the same style of shades of gray and a pop of color. It's a great story for all children with a desire to create their own world!

This wordless book is absolutely stunning. The illustrations are dreamy and soft, there's so much depth and beauty in every single image. Bravo, Beatriz!