Wings

Using a series of single words that rhyme with the title, Klein’s picture book debut tells a story about a little bird’s first flight. In a nest are four pink, plump baby birds. (Sharp-eyed readers will spot their parents on the title page, watching the goings-on from another tree.) Only one baby has that unmistakable look of a confident first-mover; the bird “clings” precariously to the nest’s edge with its wings extended, then “flings” itself off, and tumbles to the ground (“stings”). But all is not lost—the bird discovers a mother lode of worms (“things”), and the prospect of providing its nestmates with a snack (“brings?”) inspires it to gather its strength and go airborne (“springs... sings!”). DePaola (Quiet) captures the milestone moments with collages made from press-on labels, decorated with exuberant marker work, and animated with his customary wit. Beautifully extending the words’ clever minimalism, the simple, subtly dimensional shapes and lush, translucent colorations (the nest itself is a panoply of purples, blues, and browns) make this simple story soar. Ages 4–8. [em]Author’s agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Doug Whiteman, Whiteman Agency. (Mar.) [/em]