Bird is Dead by Tiny Fisscher & Herma Starreveld

One day Bird dies. That is it. The story in a nutshell. Bird is dead and the other birds chat about what this may or may not mean. Tiny Fisscher and Herma Starreveld do a cracking job in taking the straightforward and squeezing out every last drop.

Each bird ponders what this means. Is he really dead? How can they be sure? Doubt creeps in the minds of some, while certainty fills the heads of others. Once agreed that Bird is actually dead, his friends (and a few who question if they did like him) need to decide what to do next.

I adore the artwork in Bird is Dead. The quality reminds of animated TV shows from years gone by before animation become more glossy. The colourful patchwork appearance of the birds on the muted background makes for a captivating experience.

Now for the teacher bit. Picture books are brilliant for exploring the big ideas and emotions. There is no bigger emotion than grief, yet there are many great examples of picture books that deal with it well such as The Laugh. Bird is Dead can happily sit alongside those books that address a tricky situation for children to come to terms with.

Bird is Dead – Book is Great!