George Flies South

In James's understated yet action-packed story, other birds are heading south in autumn, but tiny George tells his mother he's not quite ready to learn to fly: "I think I like my nest best." While she's off finding worms, a gust of wind lifts George and his nest from a tree branch, and he lands on the roof of a parked car. Becoming airborne again, the nest comes to rest on beams stacked on a boat, which are delivered to a construction site. It's not until the nest disintegrates during a final tumble that George, encouraged by his mother, rises to the challenge. Beige and pale blue dominate the subtle palette of James's (the Baby Brains series) minimalist ink and watercolor pictures, arranged in square and rectangular panels, full-page scenarios, and%E2%80%94when George at last takes flight%E2%80%94a sprawling double-page vista. Despite his timidity, George is no wimp: he clearly enjoys his inadvertent adventures in flight, buoyed by the security of his nest. A fun reminder that, even if the training wheels fall off, kids can handle more than they may realize. Ages 3%E2%80%93up. (Sept.)