Sick Day

August 13, 2012
The shaggy haired boy that McPhail introduced in Boy, Bird, and Dog (who also resembles characters from the author/illustrator’s other books) is sick in bed in this addition to the I Like to Read series. The boy’s mother tends to him, while his pet dog and a black bird keep him company and bring gifts—like a bone
(“ ‘Chew it,’ says Dog. ‘But don’t eat it,’ ”) and a slice of pizza. By book’s end, the tables have turned, and Boy has a chance to comfort Dog and Bird. Simple declarative sentences, understated humor, and emotive ink-and-watercolor illustrations make this a tender pick for beginning readers. Ages 4–8.

August 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 1-This sequel to Boy, Bird, and Dog (Holiday House, 2011) continues the eponymous trio's gentle adventures. Sick in bed, Boy is offered soup from Mom, a bone from Dog, and a pizza slice from Bird. He chooses the soup, and the next day he is fine. Bird and Dog decide to eat their proffered foods-and wind up not feeling so well themselves. So Boy patiently sits with them during their malaise, and after some naps they're up and about and ready to play. Talking animals and birds who eat pizza add a modicum of make-believe to a story otherwise firmly grounded in the everyday life of a young child. The ultra-spare plot is fleshed out with sweetly humorous touches in the ink and watercolor illustrations that offer ready clues to textual meaning. Designed in picture-book format but with controlled vocabulary, this title and others in the series could be a welcome change of pace for emerging readers.-Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 15, 2012
A sick boy's devoted friends try to help him feel better. Dog lies on Boy's feet to help him get warm, then shares his bone with him. (Boy eats his mom's chicken soup instead.) Bird comes calling, but Dog tells him Boy is sick, and he flies off, returning with a slice of pizza to help him get well. (Boy doesn't eat that either.) Feeling better the next day, Boy and Dog head to the tree house and find Bird sick (too much pizza). At this point, the minimalist story devolves even further, losing the slight humor of the first part. "Boy and Dog sit with Bird. // Then Bird is fine. / But Dog is sick....Boy and Bird sit with Dog. // Then they nap. / Dog jumps up. 'I am fine, ' he says." Upon which, the three happily play together with a ball. Unlike its precursor, Boy, Bird, and Dog (2011), this one feels (and reads) like a Dick and Jane primer, stilted language, thin plot and all. McPhail's ink-and-watercolor artwork depicts the three friends in the softly colored, rounded vignettes on each page that, along with the 64 simple words and short sentences, help those new to reading decode the words. Just doesn't compare to Shelley Moore Thomas and Jennifer Plecas' similarly themed Get Well, Good Knight (2002) or even to the trio's prior adventure. (Early reader. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2012
Grades K-1 In this I Like to Read title, a little boy is sick and stuck in bed. His dog tries to make him feel better by offering up his bone ( I have soup, ' says the boy. Keep the bone' ), and Bird flies by with a slice of pizza, which Boy also refuses. Once Boy is on the mend, the three friends hang out in their tree house, and it's Bird's turn to feel ill, having ingested the entire slice. Next up to feel poorly? Yup, Dog. Happily, before long, all are back to their old selves, and it is time to play! The straightforward text, presented in large font, reinforces vocabulary words as each character in turn succumbs to a bellyache and the scenario repeats. McPhail's warm illustrations capture happy and sad emotions beautifully, but what's best here is the sweet relationship between the trio. Fans of the characters can check out Boy, Bird, and Dog (2011).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2013
Boy is sick in bed and cared for by Mom, Dog, and Bird, respectively. The roles reverse the following day when Dog and Bird feel ill. The story is a bit bland, but the simple word repetition gently conveys the characters' empathy and compassion. McPhail's clear watercolor and ink illustrations are just right for early readers discerning meaning from text and art.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)