ALA Booklist (Thu May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Even Aesop would admire this polished fable imported from France. A little bird, created from the negative space amid crisp digital art and a white background, often goes unseen and ignored. After deciding that he's had enough anonymity, he sets off down the road, collecting boldly colored vines, flowers, feathers, and other bits of nature along the way. As his collection of treasures grows into an ostentatious plumage, so too does his pride, until he almost doesn't see a wolf ready to pounce upon him. Learning that sometimes it's better to fly under the radar, the little bird decides to use his camouflage skills to help other small woodland animals stay safe from their predators. In the process, he develops a new set of friends who appreciate his talents, and he even finds a way to have fun with his appearance. Although younger readers and listeners will delight in finding the white bird on each double-page spread, older children will relish the whimsy with a moral.

Horn Book (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

A bird is seen only as negative space until it decides to dress up in found objects, tucking vine tendrils, feathers, and seed pods under its wings. Strutting about with newfound pride and self-absorption, it catches the eye of a fox, who gives chase. The ending is a bit message-heavy, but the intriguing art with large shapes and flowing lines elevates this book.

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

First published in France, this slim, stylish fable introduces a bird that blends in very well with its surroundings-other than its dot eyes, carroty nose, and purple stick legs, the bird is entirely white, all but disappearing against the book-s white backgrounds. Only when the bird stands against a cluster of leaves or colorful sheets hanging from a clothesline does its swoopy silhouette become visible. The bird is made fun of (ostensibly because of its difference, though the reason isn-t made entirely clear), so it -went away.- On the road, the -funny little bird- meets a bird with beautiful feathers and finds some equally vibrant foliage, which the near-invisible bird collects to create some couture peacocklike plumage of secondhand feathers, ferns, and more. These make other animals take notice-especially predators. The story has similarities to Aesop-s parable -The Vain Jackdaw,- but things end more happily for this bird. Considering how pared down and elemental Yerkes-s illustrations are, they generate quite a bit of visual humor and suspense, not to mention personality for the story-s silent hero. Ages 4-up. (May)

School Library Journal (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

K-Gr 1 The artwork is the charm of this petite picture book. The simple, jewel-toned illustrations pop against abundant white space, making a crisp and vivid presentation. Spare text tells the tale of an invisible bird that is tired of being teased for his appearance (or lack of one) and decides to adorn himself with a hodgepodge of leaves, blooms, and feathers from other birds. He gets noticed, but it's at a price: one of his admirers is a fox. The bird realizes his invisibility is a quality that benefits not only him but small friends as well, since he can camouflage them from predators. With only a few words per page, the book can serve either as a quick read-aloud or an accessible text for early readers. Refreshingly, Yerkes gives a nod of respect to the youngest readers with a sprinkling of more sophisticated vocabulary ("vanity," "souvenir," "discreet," etc.) and elegantly understated art that blend together in a sweet and lovely package. Alyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, AR