Now I'm a Bird Book Review

Now I'm a Bird

Written by Sue Ganz-Schmitt

Illustrated by Renia Metallinou

Expected publication: October 2020 by Albert Whitman & Co.

Mom's Review

A whimsical celebration of physical differences.

When a little girl grows feathers, she fears going to school because she looks different from her classmate. At first she is teased, but she realizes how small-minded the bullies are. She stands up to them and a bystander supports her. The bystander reveals that she also has a physical difference, and soon all the children exhibit their uniqueness.

I am ambivalent about Now I'm a Bird. I'm not sure what I think about the children having animal characteristics (feather, horns, scales, tails, etc.). On the one hand, standing up to bullies and gaining self confidence is great. Children in this book model positive problem-solving skills. On the other hand, the children aren't realistic. T understood the book's message: treat everyone with respect and don't discriminate against people who look different. A book with fully human characters would certainly have been heavier. And the messaging is pretty obvious as is. And it opens the door for conversation about prejudice. But I still have reservations about non-human characters being used to foster emotional and social intelligence.* Because the children in this book are part human and part animal, I'm not sure what to think, other than that conversation should accompany reading.

*A 2017 study demonstrates that human characters are more effective at teaching moral behavior than non-human characters are: https://neurosciencenews.com/child-reading-moral-characters-7332/

Son's Review

(Age: 5)

It's silly. You're not actually able to turn into a bird. [The author tells us] that no matter how you look, you still have some things that are the same. I like it. I thought it was funny. I felt happy.

Note: Albert Whitman & Co. provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review.