Colin Jenkins, an earnest, gray-suited businessman, wakes up from a nap one day with a bird's nest on his head. His steadfast refusal to disturb a mother bird and her egg leads to a quiet urban martyrdom; he loses his job, his friends abandon him and he and his daughter have to move. But his vocation as a bird nurturer helps him recognize the hollowness and insignificance of much of the rest of his life. "He never took another job like the one he had, but he always found work," the fable says near its end. After the birds fly off, a parting shot shows Colin Jenkins, poorer but happier, gazing fondly at their empty nest (placed near his window), in which "from time to time, he would find the most beautiful and improbable things." Riddle (The Great Escape from City Zoo) draws on his experience as a cartoonist for the Sydney Morning Herald for his understated line drawings, then heightens them with photos of cloth, foliage and food, often suggesting a stage setting particularly when the man is alone with his birds (perched on the edge of his chair, or sitting up in bed). Older readers may best appreciate the syntax ("He could not easily dislodge the perfectly fitted nest from his head, nor did he want to interrupt the bird at such a fragile and important time of life"), the wry humor (the boss in the story speaks in word balloons filled with stock market prices, and the birds sing in printed arpeggios) and the hero's predicament. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2-Colin Jenkins's life takes an unusual turn when he takes a nap under a tree in a city park. While he is sleeping, a bird builds a nest on his head and lays an egg. The man's daughter seconds his feeling that he must not interfere with nature, and he goes on as before, enjoying his new friend and, in time, the arrival of a baby bird. However, some people don't adapt as well as Colin Jenkins, and he ends up losing his job and his home. He nearly gives up on his feathered friends, but then a man on the train claims that they are a rare species-almost extinct. Just then, the bird and its fledgling take off, never to be seen again, but Colin Jenkins and his daughter know that they have a friend for life. Riddle's quirky story is sure to tickle the funny bones of young listeners and readers alike. Some of the language is rather sophisticated ("Colin Jenkins was now faced with quite a conundrum") and the humor is deadpan. Riddle's illustrations are an interesting synthesis of line-and-wash cartoons and photo collage. Colin's boss speaks in dialogue balloons comprised of stock-market quotes. This story will be a great discussion starter for thoughtful readers or, just for fun, team it with Esphyr Slobodkina's Caps for Sale (HarperCollins) to explore what can happen when you sleep under a tree.
Jeanne Clancy Watkins, Chester County Library, Exton, PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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