Usually there are only one or maybe two people a week who can't stop talking. They are well-known by their classmates and for the most part fondly accepted. Author Tammi Sauer and illustrator Dave Mottram introduced readers to such an individual in Wordy Birdy (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, February 8, 2018). Fortunately, this bird with a gift for gab has great friends.Meet Wordy Birdy.
Wordy Birdy has lots to say.
It starts the moment she wakes up.
See?
Every tint of the sunrise sky is noted. Wordy Birdy even stops to greet herself in a mirror. She chats about her likes and dislikes. The questions are non-stop. Does she ever listen for the answers? No. No. No. Her forest friends, Rabbit, Raccoon, and Squirrel, realize this quirk in her behavior, continuously commenting.
One morning Wordy Birdy needs to listen. She does not. She ignores warning signs. Squirrel asks her to stop. Rabbit tells her to turn around. Wordy Birdy keeps walking and talking. Raccoon begs her to
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!
This walking and talking non-listener finally notices a lot of darkness ahead. She notices big white circles and large white triangles. Several loud roars later, it dawns on her trouble is too close for comfort.
In her time of need her trio of companions courageously suggests a course of action. Does she heed their words? Will she live to talk another day?
Apparently, she does because this month a companion title is released. This bird is as chatty as ever. Wordy Birdy Meets Mr. Cougarpants (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, February 5, 2019) written by Tammi Sauer with illustrations by Dave Mottram will have talkers and non-talkers alike sharing loads of laughter.In case you haven't heard, this is Wordy Birdy.
I LOVE my name.
Wordy Birdy. Wordy Birdy. Wordy Birdy.
Hey! That rhymes!
This bird is unable to breathe without speaking. She is also always on the move. One fine day she and her three trusty pals go camping.
After enjoying the hike, setting up their tents and snacking on s'mores by a comfy, crackling fire, Wordy Birdy is still offering non-stop observations and declarations of love about everything and everyone in sight. As you can imagine, much later Squirrel, Raccoon and Rabbit are exhausted and ready for bed. Wordy Birdy is not.
Wordy Birdy is excited to commence snacking on pickles, bean burritos and mashed potatoes. With the mini-feast consumed Wordy Birdy should desire to shut her eyes along with her three companions. She does not.
Telescope to her eye, she spots the perfect stars, wishing stars. In the middle of wishing for everything from a pony to a tuba, Wordy Birdy discovers a rather large, hungry cougar stalking into their camp. Does Wordy Birdy finally choose to stop talking? Before you answer that question readers, remember this is Wordy Birdy.
Both titles are overflowing with comedy. With the skill of a master wordsmith Tammi Sauer blends short narrative sentences with character dialogue. There is an ongoing discourse between the two. Repetitive questions are answered with repetitive replies; supplying readers with an engaging cadence. We are a part of the story. You might also encounter a pun. Here are two passages from the first and recent book.
But she never stops talking long enough to get the answers.
Wordy Birdy is not the world's best listener.
Oh, puh-lease. (Rabbit)
Are we talking
about the same
bird here? (Raccoon)
Okay. Okay. Wordy Birdy is
terrible at listening.
That's more like it. (Squirrel)
She never listens to anybody.
Late that night, Squirrel rubs his eyes.
Time for bed, everybody. (Squirrel)
Squirrel goes to bed.
Rabbit goes to bed.
Raccoon goes to bed.
Does Wordy Birdy go to bed?
If you don't wonder what's going to happen next by looking at the front of the matching dust jackets and book cases, you'll might want to check for a pulse. The expressions on Wordy Birdy's face and the look the cougar is giving readers are completely giggle-worthy. Careful readers can see the outline of words lining the background canvas of both books. The title text is varnished on the jackets as are the characters. The title text is also raised.
To place emphasis on the chattiness of Wordy Birdy, to the left, on the back conversations are replete. On the first Wordy Birdy is standing with her three pals talking to readers. Raccoon has a reply ready. On the second book, Wordy Birdy Meets Mr. Cougarpants, five photographs placed on a yellow background with leaves, are labeled with more Wordy Birdy chatter.
On the opening and closing endpapers of the first book, the story starts and ends, verbally and visually. The characters and their conversations in speech bubbles are shown on a white background. On the new title a series of different photographs, without captions, cover the opening and closing endpapers. They feature the friends and those things Wordy Birdy enjoys the most.
With a page turn illustrator Dave Mottram begins his pictorial enhancement of the text with a double-page image for the verso and title pages. Wordy Birdy is displayed as her exuberant self exclusively on a white canvas. In the second title Wordy Birdy, Rabbit, Squirrel and Raccoon are seated around a campfire with the forest and starry sky surrounding them.
Keeping in mind the narrative and pacing, Dave Mottram alternates between double-page pictures and a few full-page images. Readers will pause with each page turn to notice the included small details; a paw print on a sign, a hidden sign slowly revealed, a shadow that moves from illustration to illustration and the zipper pull on Wordy Birdy's backpack. Most hilarious are the facial expressions and body postures on the characters. They are burst-out-laughing excellent.
Two of my many, many favorite illustrations, one from each book, are in the first Wordy Birdy is blissfully unaware of any danger despite Rabbit's warning. In the second title it's when everyone notices the cougar at the campsite. First trees frame the characters and line the forest path. On the left Squirrel, clinging to a tree trunk, is speaking. Wordy Birdy is pointing and talking about a pinecone, a sign (reading WRONG WAY), a rock and a leaf. On the right Rabbit is frantically pointing for Wordy Birdy to turn around and retrace her steps. I love the mop of hair on top of Rabbit's head.
In the second image on the right items from the campsite have flown in the air. A mug, juice box, telescope. frying pan, Bag O' Burritos, lantern, cup, jar of pickles, camera and another cup border a huge speech bubble reading:
WHAT!?!
Portions of their tents are visible. On the right a terrified, wide-eyed Rabbit and Raccoon are standing, frozen to the ground. Equally frightened is Squirrel who jumped up and is being held in Raccoon's arms. Behind this stars shine in the night sky.
You won't be able to read Wordy Birdy and Wordy Birdy Meets Mr. Cougarpants written by Tammi Sauer with illustrations by Dave Mottram just once. You will read, or be requested to read, them repeatedly. You won't be able to stop smiling or bursting out loud with laughter. Not only are these two books hilarious but they show the value in knowing when to listen and when to speak out. At the core of both is the power of friendship. I highly recommend them for both your personal and professional collections.
To learn more about Tammi Sauer and Dave Mottram, please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names. You can find Tammi and Dave on Instagram. They also have accounts here and here on Twitter. At Penguin Random House you can view interior images from Wordy Birdy and Wordy Birdy Meets Mr. Cougarpants. For the release of the first book Tammi Sauer has a guest post on humor at Picture Book Builders. Tammi Sauer was interviewed at Critter Lit on July 26, 2018.
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