Free as a Cloud

PreS-Gr 2—Originally published in China, this is the story of a wild myna bird who befriends a family, becomes their pet, then is set free once again. The award-winning illustrations by Rong are eye-catching: a mix of very sketchy pencil drawings and bold, thick, cut paper silhouettes, which creates a dramatic contrast on each page. There is very little color, merely well-composed scenes of town life on tea-stained pages. Unfortunately, the story does not match the beauty of the visuals. Perhaps as a result of the translation, the text is stiff and stilted: "Singing is what small birds dream of, and singing makes them happy." Additionally, the story closes with the bird being released into the "jungle," though the pictures contradictorily depict her in some sort of zoo or park, which may confuse readers.