The Cheer-Up Bird

PreS-Gr 2—Originally published in the Netherlands, this visually appealing picture book unfortunately suffers from a labored concept and disappointing translation. Each scenario features a group of Australian animals who are having a bad day. The wombats are grumpy, the koalas are having an existential crisis, and the kangaroo boss has become serious and gloomy. "But then came Cheer-up Bird!," and suddenly everyone perks up and feels better. It isn't clear why the presence of Cheer-up Bird alters the animals' moods. Is it because she's pretty? Is it the power of suggestion? Even the very handsome, beautifully textured illustrations cannot overcome the choppy text. By the end of the book, Cheer-up Bird herself has diminished, changing from light and colorful to exhausted and gray, until her babies arrive, "Her cheery Cheer-up Bird Birdies!" and her color returns.