Perfect

K-Gr 2--A young boy reminisces about his attic bedroom and the swifts that have built nests above his window. The birds are perfect, playful companions, but they leave each winter. The boy longs for their return in the spring. The day they return is the same day his parents bring home a baby sister. He had been imagining running and playing with his new sibling, the way the swifts race and dive in the sky. Disappointed with his quiet and inactive sister, the boy feels that she will never race and play with him. He mopes about outside, crying in the grass and wishing he could fly away with the birds. An injured bird helps the boy to realize that the swift just requires his help and maybe that is what his little sister needs, too. The soft illustrations appear to be done in pastel crayon, making misty pictures with soft edges. The spread of the new, pink baby in her crib is offset with scribbles of angry thoughts across the tops of the pages, a beautiful complement to the text. This is a story about a young boy's anticipation, disappointment, anger, and acceptance as he comes to understand and love his sister, who may be very different from him. VERDICT Recommended for collections looking to generate discussion about expectations, differences, and acceptance.--Mary Hazelton, formerly at Warren & Waldoboro Elementary Schools, ME