Starred Review ALA Booklist (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)

Starred Review This inviting introduction to the avian world leads off with what birds have in common, before pointing out how richly varied they are. All have feathers, beaks, and wings. All come from eggs, but how different those are in size, color, and pattern! Most build their own homes. All birds have feet, but how many toes? Nearly all fly, and some migrate. Many float, swim, or dive for fish. Some are nocturnal. Opie explores 13 topics, each on a double-page spread with a short text and an eye-catching illustration, usually showing a number of species within a single scene. A little kiwi gazes upward from the bottom of each picture, taking in the information and sometimes asking, "But what about me?" While most of the birds are rendered without anthropomorphism, Opie slightly softens the depiction of the curious kiwi, a stand-in for young children. The pictures of birds are impressive for their precision, spacing, and use of color, and the simply written, factual sentences are on target for the audience. Detailed and informative, the back matter supports the book well. Opie, who was fascinated by birds as a kid, makes his debut as an author-illustrator in this thoughtfully written, engaging picture book for children.

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

A kiwi from New Zealand discovers how it differs from other birds in the world and what it shares with them.Opie here demonstrates his skills as a wildlife illustrator, ably capturing the look of particular species in this grand collection that demonstrates bird similarities and differences. Over 100 different bird images appear in the backgrounds, placed amid blue skies, wispy clouds, and bits of vegetated ground. The first-time author/illustrator provides a straightforward text that simply but effectively gets his point across. All birds have feathers, wings, and beaks, but after that they can be astonishingly different. Spread after spread, he shows how they vary in coloration, shape and size, nests, eggs, feet, beaks, where they fly or swim, and sounds and songs. Some birds are shown flying; others perch, stand on the ground, wade in shallow water, or dive and swim. On many spreads, a stumpy little brown bird asks "What about me?" A final spread describes the kiwi in detail, including its eggs, burrows, hidden wings, and furlike feathers. Though flightless, it's still part of the wide-ranging bird family. This attractive title includes many of the more-colorful species a North American child might encounter either in books or in their own experience. With the identifications that appear in the three pages of backmatter, it makes an ideal framework for a fledgling birder's practice.A simple but effective introduction to the "feathered family." (author's note, more about kiwis) (Informational picture book. 5-10)

School Library Journal Starred Review (Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)

K-Gr 4 Birds in all their incredible variety throughout the world are introduced with primary-colored illustrations and a fast-moving narrative. The story's pace is paused by its "guide"a young kiwi with brown feathers who wonders how he fits into this vast community. He asks, "What about me?" amid the brilliant reds, blues, yellows, and purples on display. But the little kiwi with no tail, furlike feathers, and tiny hidden wings learns that he is indeed a member of this enormous family. The text compares avian qualities to familiar people, places, and things ("an ostrich can stand taller than the tallest basketball player"; a hummingbird egg is about the size of a jelly bean) to help readers visualize these birds. Every bird pictured illustrates their beaks, eggs, sizes, nests, etc., and is identified in a two-page note from author and illustrator Opie. A separate summary, "More About the Kiwi," identifies the "star" of the book as the brown kiwi, found only in New Zealand. VERDICT Highly recommended. The sparkling and informative text and crisp, clear illustrations highlight a wide variety of birds while creating a sense of belonging for the plain kiwi and anyone else who might feel different. Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County P.L., VA

Horn Book

On double-page spreads that display up to forty-seven carefully illustrated birds, Opie showcases the similarities and differences found throughout the avian world. Before the story even begins, the illustrations encourage viewers to notice how dissimilar birds can be -- a peacock and a kiwi look at each other in amazement on the acknowledgments page, taking in the differences in their appearance. On every page, this cartoony little kiwi wonders where it fits in this world of birds. Opie shows that some traits are universal and others are only more common -- while all birds have feathers, wings, and beaks, not every bird builds its own nest, and the kiwi, of course, does not fly. The illustrations walk a line between sharp realism and an exaggerated cartoon quality that is especially apparent in the expressive kiwi. Opie's drawings are at their best when he focuses on a single trait and shows in detail how varied it can be, as on the page where fifteen creatures display their wildly differing beaks. Back matter identifies each bird, egg, and nest depicted in the book. Laura Koenig

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A kiwi from New Zealand discovers how it differs from other birds in the world and what it shares with them.Opie here demonstrates his skills as a wildlife illustrator, ably capturing the look of particular species in this grand collection that demonstrates bird similarities and differences. Over 100 different bird images appear in the backgrounds, placed amid blue skies, wispy clouds, and bits of vegetated ground. The first-time author/illustrator provides a straightforward text that simply but effectively gets his point across. All birds have feathers, wings, and beaks, but after that they can be astonishingly different. Spread after spread, he shows how they vary in coloration, shape and size, nests, eggs, feet, beaks, where they fly or swim, and sounds and songs. Some birds are shown flying; others perch, stand on the ground, wade in shallow water, or dive and swim. On many spreads, a stumpy little brown bird asks "What about me?" A final spread describes the kiwi in detail, including its eggs, burrows, hidden wings, and furlike feathers. Though flightless, it's still part of the wide-ranging bird family. This attractive title includes many of the more-colorful species a North American child might encounter either in books or in their own experience. With the identifications that appear in the three pages of backmatter, it makes an ideal framework for a fledgling birder's practice.A simple but effective introduction to the "feathered family." (author's note, more about kiwis) (Informational picture book. 5-10)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

A quizzical kiwi follows readers through Opie-s vibrantly illustrated exploration of bird types and attributes. Fantastical compilations of birds common and rare, depicted with great care and painterly realism, are shown roosting, nesting, wading, and flying, interleaved with spreads showing arrays of eggs, beaks, and bird feet. Opie uses clear text in rhythmic patterns punctuated by line breaks to articulate the essence of birdness--All birds have feathers./ All birds have wings./ All birds have beaks--punctuated by Kiwi-s plaintive, -But what about me?- It builds, of course, to a discussion of kiwis: -The kiwi has no tail,/ but has whiskers like a cat.- It-s a captivating display of diversity: -And all the birds/ in this book.../ are part of the same feathered family!/ -Even me,- said Kiwi./ Yes, even Kiwi.- Back matter includes a key identifying every bird that appears in the book and on the cover. Ages 4-8. (June)