From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1–Although this book is colorful, it misses its goal of helping children to understand capacity. A tiny blue bird searches for an appropriate house with the help of his feathered friends. Each one is a different shape: Spike is "tall, thin, and narrow"; Queenie is "tall, fat, and wide"; Goldie is "short, fat, and wide"; and Fidget is "short, thin, and narrow." As they explore a variety of homes, each companion finds a perfect fit for itself, but not for Birdie. In the end, the other birds build him a home that is just right. Some of the terms used to describe each bird are redundant. The author's goal is to introduce students to length, width, and height, but not all three dimensions are clearly differentiated. Additionally, "short and narrow" is reworded as "nice and thin," which jumps off the page as a value judgment after the narrative has used other descriptive terminology without any positive or negative interpretations. The simple cartoon illustrations are pleasant with endpapers covered by white outlines of a variety of birdhouses. The bright colors are attractive, and the text is accessible to beginning readers, but the explanation of the math concept isn't entirely successful.
–Erlene Bishop Killeen, Fox Prairie Elementary School, Stoughton, WI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
PreS. Murphy's latest title in the popular MathStart series uses a simple friendship story and clear, colorful paper-cut art to explore the concept of "capacity." As the weather becomes cold and wet, small Birdie needs shelter, and he asks his friends to help him find a house. They find a tall, thin, narrow house that's just right for tall, thin, narrow Spike. Then they find a tall, fat, wide house, just right for tall, fat, wide Queenie. There's a house to fit short, fat, wide Goldie and also one for short, thin, narrow Fidget. Finally, the friends make a house that's tiny all around--just right for Birdie. Preschoolers will enjoy the friendship story as they absorb the idea of volume and three-dimensional shapes, and adults who read this to kids will be pleased by the suggested activities at the end that will help children explore the concepts in everyday life.
Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
