Ten birds come to a river and must figure out a way to cross. Each amazing bird comes up with an ingenious idea leaving one less bird behind. Until finally, the last bird, labeled "needs improvement" simply walks across the bridge.

This book has abstract concepts. It is advertized for grades 1 and up which is appropriate. However it is a counting book and 1st graders know their numbers so then the book becomes about ingenuity and finally the message that good enough is often the best solution.

The drawings are absolutely beautiful and finely detailed. The author introduces new words like engineer, launching, devised, drifting, and flapping.

As a former teacher I had a hard time with the concept of labeling the birds as "outstanding", "highly satisfactory" and "exceptional" until finally reaching "needs improvement". I felt bad for the little bird labeled needs improvement and I felt that the other birds were being mocked for their ingenuity. Labeling children, I mean birds, is never a good idea. And the concept is written in such an abstract way that I don't know if children will understand exactly what the author was trying to say about labeling.

At first, it sounds like a riddle: ten small, black birds must find a way to cross a river, and their only resource is a bizarre collection of mechanical devices. One by one, each bird creates an improbable contraption (such as a fan-driven raft or an aquatic unicycle) and crosses the river, leaving the final bird with an astonishingly simple solution. Though the twist at the end might not surprise more logical readers, Ten Birds will please children who enjoy whimsical brain teasers and crisp, intricate artwork similar to that of David Macaulay or Arthur Geisert. Don't forget to pick up the sequel, Ten Birds Meet a Monster.

Picture books newsletter July 2014

10 birds and their journey across a river - wonderful illustrations that appeal to kids and grown-ups

funny

Winner of the 2011 Governor General's Literary Award for Best Children's Illustrations Award, Canadian author Cybèle Young tells the story of the contraptions ten birds create to cross a river.

This book is great for counting, subtracting, structures, inventions, and teaching adjectives.

The illustrations are wondrous as is the book itself—and her website is well worth a visit: http://www.cybeleyoung.ca/