Shh! We Have a Plan

August 1, 2014
A peace-waging parable, presented with wry minimalism a la Jon Klassen or Tomi Ungerer. Carrying nets, three hunters creep up on a sleeping bird in a dark forest, but thanks to their own clumsiness, they repeatedly manage to get in one another's way as the bird slips off. Meanwhile, despite their frantic shushing, a smaller, fourth figure waves and calls out "hello birdie," offering bread. Soon, an entire flock has gathered around number four's feet-a flock that proceeds to turn and chase the hunters away. The text runs to just a few words per page, but it neatly serves to crank up the suspense: "ready one / ready two / ready three... // GO!" Haughton (Oh No, George!, 2012) uses a palette of deep blues and purples for his simple forest scenes; this causes the hunters' googly eyes to stand out comically and also makes the fuchsia, red and orange birds easy to spot and follow. Last seen creeping up on a squirrel, the hunters have plainly learned nothing from their experience...but young readers might. Sure to "net" young audiences, who will definitely root for the birds. (Picture book. 5-7)

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January 1, 2015
In spare, humorous text and blocky digital illustrations, four hunters (three of them outfitted with nets) pursue a vibrantly red bird through blue-hued woods. The three larger hunters shush their smallest, netless cohort when he calls to the bird. Subsequent bird-catching attempts result in slapstick pratfalls, but the littlest hunter's methods prevail, charming not only that first red bird, but an entire multicolored flock.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from November 1, 2014
With cover art recalling Ungerer's The Three Robbers (rev. 6/62) and the wry sensibility of Klassen's Hat books, this is a natural choice for any storytime. A spare, humorous text pairs with blocky digital illustrations to tell the story of four companions (three of them outfitted with nets) out hunting in the woods; there they spy a bird, its vibrant red plumage interrupting the controlled palette of blue shades. The three larger hunters shush their smallest, netless cohort when he calls out, "Hello birdie." "We have a plan," they admonish him. Subsequent bird-catching attempts stretch out over page turns to enhance the slapstick humor of the hunters' pratfalls. The littlest one, persistent in his ongoing attempts to make contact with the bird, acts on the adage that it's easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar -- or in this case, with crumbs rather than nets. Indeed, not only does that first red bird fly to his outstretched hand, a flock of multicolored birds assembles, making good on the book's front-matter epigraph from Einstein: "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." The avian peaceable kingdom is short-lived, however, when the three hunters reappear with their nets -- they clearly haven't absorbed the little one's ethos. The birds chase them away, but the closing spread -- "LOOK! a squirrel" -- humorously underscores their failure to learn from their small friend. Plan on repeat readings. megan dowd lambert

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from October 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-In a gorgeous nocturnal landscape of deep purples and blues, four figures go marching along. The three big ones are holding nets, and the little one trails slightly behind. Suddenly, they spy a bright pink bird in the tree. "Hello, birdie," calls the little one. "Shh," reprimands the first one. "SHH!" hisses the next. "We have a plan," explains the third, holding up a birdcage. They tiptoe towards the bird with hilariously expressive body language until, "ready one...ready two...ready three...GO!" But the bird easily evades them, and the three end up in a tangle while the little one looks on. The scenario and "shhs" repeat, and finally, while the big ones are literally down the creek without a paddle, the little one makes friends. In a breathtakingly rich spread, a flock of colorful, jewel-toned birds appear and drive the schemers into retreat. Echoing the opening, the big ones quick-step along under the moonlit sky, nervously glancing behind them and dragging the little one along. The story seems over, but they haven't quite learned their lesson yet. A masterful delight, this crafty caper has huge kid appeal and a title/refrain that will easily sneak into the family lexicon: shh! We have a plan. This perfect blend of circular narrative, deceptively spare art, and humor becomes a story that kids will want to read at storytime, at home, and to themselves if no adult is handy. Plan to make this title a first purchase.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 4, 2014
Three hunters with nets trudge through a deep forest of violets and blues, their wide eyes unblinking in the gloom. They’re comically small and troll-like, and they’re trailed by a fourth companion who’s even stumpier. The hunters spot an exquisite scarlet bird. “Hello, birdie,” says the smallest hunter, prompting hushes from his companions, who tell him, “We have a plan.” The three hunters tiptoe forward, nets ready, but fall over each other like the Keystone Kops when they pounce. The bird sails off, undisturbed, and the pattern of greeting, hushing, and pouncing repeats with equally slapstick results. Big, blocky shapes and intense hues make the action simple to follow, and Haughton’s (Oh No, George!) text is similarly telegraphic. Eventually, the bird flies toward the littlest hunter after being offered a bit of bread, a flock of phantasmagorically colored birds gathers, and the hunters get their comeuppance. The delicious stupidity of the hunting trio, the purity of heart of their small companion, and the sweet-tempered drama of each page turn make this a classic exercise in picture-book making. Ages 3–7.