The Lost Little Bird

PreS-Gr 1–When a little bird collides with a tree trunk and falls to the ground, he is lost and disoriented. He cannot even remember what kind of bird he is! The confused bird sets out on a journey to rediscover his identity. Along the way, he encounters several species of birds and tries on their habits for possible matches. Could he be a robin? No, he doesn’t like the idea of eating worms. Perhaps he is an egret? No, his legs are too short to walk through the pond. Maybe he is a duck? No again, he can’t swim! What about a chicken? Nope, he can’t lay an egg despite encouragement from two chickens. McPhail’s simple text and charming pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations work together to create a resonant story of lost and found. Details in the illustrations and speech bubbles help convey the action. This understated story introduces young readers to a variety of birds and will appeal to prereaders in a bird-themed story time or as a classroom read-aloud.