Based on a true story, BIRD, A BOY, AND A BIG ADVENTURE is an illustrated book for younger children told in verse. It tells the tale of a young boy rescuing an abandoned baby seagull and bringing the bird back to his farm. The boy then takes the bird he has named “Bird” on an adventurous journey from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia through the Panama Canal to Victoria, British Columbia.
Written by Tanya Ney in tribute to her mother, who had always wanted this family tale to be shared with the world, BIRD, A BOY, AND A BIG ADVENTURE is an enjoyable short book that should charm young readers. The text is written in rhymes. Some of them are a little clumsy and in need of a tighter edit, such as the following verse (when Bird is suffering from seasickness): “A ship at rough sea is no place for me! My tummy feels funny and my feet are too wobbly.” Mostly, though, the lines work and are filled with humor that quicken the pace of the story—such as the verse concerning Bird’s joy when flying fish appear at his feet: “But fish was the sight that caught Bird’s delight, Flying onto the deck all wriggly and bright. Bird ate and ate till he emptied his plate… So many fish in his mouth he couldn’t see straight.”
This book would be a good choice for a bedtime story, but it can work as a read-aloud book for any time of day, really. With bright illustrations that include various locations, modes of transport, and a multitude of sea creatures, there is plenty to catch the eye. Bird is cutely rendered, too. As the story progresses, he gradually transforms from a fluffy grey chick cowering on a rock to a recognizable seagull with a big personality. The boy is equally charming, all wide eyes and smiles. The two of them have a good time together, and young readers will enjoy tagging along as they traverse the seas. The big question might be why Bird never chose to fly away, but perhaps he was just having too much fun.
Tanya Ney’s BIRD, A BOY, AND A BIG ADVENTURE boasts appealingly colorful illustrations, and its rhyming text gives the narrative plenty of momentum.
~Kent Lane for IndieReader