Max and Bird

PreS-Gr 2—A kitten named Max asks a bird named Bird to be his friend. Max is determined to chase his pal (and possibly eat him) until Bird tells him that friends do not eat one another. "'If you teach me how to fly,' said Bird, then we'll talk about the chasing…and all that other stuff." Max decides that it is a fair plan and sets off to help Bird learn how to fly. In this book the words appear to bounce about the page in an almost graphic-novel style. The main characters look like silhouettes with bright and expressive eyes that convey the emotions of curiosity, frustration, and determination throughout the story. Movement is illustrated with sharp and curved lines. New readers will easily discern where the characters have been and how their movement has progressed and changed. Some dialogue is written in a different font from the story's narration, which adds emphasis to especially important exchanges. The story line is humorous and engaging for a young audience. Children will relate to Max's and Bird's attempts to achieve something they have seen but never tried themselves.