Carl van Wijk (text), Alicia Munday (illus.). Squishy Squashy Birds Potton & Burton. 30 March 2015, $NZ 19.99 (pbk), 40pp., ISBN 978-1-927213-42-1
$NZ 29.99 (hbk) ISBN 9781927213445
Little did young Sammy know that when he had read his favourite book Endangered Birds of New Zealand and tucked it safely into his back pack, what was living in his imagination had actually come to life in the real world. These endangered birds were truly alive and all squishy-squashed inside the book, “hidden between the pages, trapped closely side by side.” Each bird protests about being enclosed because, in each case, the book cannot capture the fullness of each of them. When they become aware that Sammy is moving (and Kakapo feels seasick as the book swings to and fro) they are excited but become silent when other muffled children’s voices are heard. They wonder if it is “Show and Tell” (a period in the class programme when books can be shared) and so the birds get ready to… flee and fly when the book is opened as Sam prepares to share his beloved book! “The birds burst from the pages, like a rainbow-feathered sea. They were screeching, squawking, flapping-an amazing sight to see.” Each bird does what it likes to do and the children are amazed. So every week the children beg Sammy to bring his book, so they all can have a look.
Who says that the picture book has had its day? The very large format, colourful pictures, with fine detail shown using a close-up focus, and the stark use of black and white background to the text visually bring to life the words. The imagination is real! At the end there is a page giving “bird facts” that might inspire young readers to explore further the life of endangered birds. Recommended.
reviewed by John McKenzie