Flora and the Ostrich: An Opposites Book (Flora)

PreS--With the latest offerings starring the beloved Flora, Idle tackles the concepts of counting and opposites. Donning a yellow kerchief and a pair of red overalls in Chicks, Flora attempts to keep track of a bevy of chickens as they hatch and cavort around the farmyard. Readers will enjoy counting the chicks as page by page they increase in number. Flora displays moves that would earn the admiration of any ballerina, performing jetes and plies as she corrals the wayward chicks. In Ostrich, Flora befriends the long-necked bird. Wearing a purple, lace-trimmed romper and holding a yellow umbrella, the little girl is the perfect visual match for the feathered animal, but the shy ostrich is initially skeptical. As Flora tries to say "hello," the ostrich buries its head in the sand ("goodbye"). After a misunderstanding, Flora kneels in the foreground looking somber ("near") while in the background the ostrich nervously gazes at her ("far"), but eventually the two forge a strong bond. Gentle pastel hues pop against the white space, and the author/illustrator makes artful use of the gutter. Idle's characters, girl and birds alike, are wonderfully expressive, and the images have a timeless quality. Though the foldout pages may not survive numerous checkouts, they're enchanting, offering readers many delightful surprises. VERDICT Must-haves for any board book collection.--Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Idle's young dancer Flora and an ostrich demonstrate nine pairs of opposite words. Wielding a yellow umbrella, Flora appears on left-hand pages in a romper whose frills and purple color mimic the plumage of the ostrich on the facing page. When Flora waves "hello," the ostrich ducks its head into the sand ("goodbye," revealed by lifting a flap). One hides, the other seeks, and after a bit of "give" and "take" involving the umbrella, Flora and the bird go from "apart" to "together" in a foldout finale. A playful, emotive, and customarily elegant pas de deux that introduces opposites with style. Up to age 2. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Sept.)