Birds of a Feather: Bowerbirds and Me

Blending memoir and nonfiction with deep ruminations on what constitutes an artist, Roth presents parallels between her life as an illustrator and the life of an Australian bowerbird. . . . introspective readers will be satisfied by the reflective nature of the text and the behind-the-scenes look at dual artistic processes. Roth persuasively argues that all artists...seek praise, and this ambitious hybrid demands to be seen.

Part picture-book memoir and part informational text, this fanciful ode to the creative process and the colorful courtship practices of bowerbirds will delight budding artists and bird-lovers alike. . . . The author-illustrator dives deep into how and why she makes her crafting decisions, presenting the artist's process as a fluid endeavor, equal parts cerebral and mechanical. The jewel-toned and textured collage illustrations, filled with paper cuttings as well as found objects, further demonstrate the complexity and ingenuity that each masterpiece entails. Roth and a feathered friend are featured side by side throughout the vibrant pages, and readers will want to jump in alongside them.

There's plenty of meta fun here. . . . Nature lovers and bud-ding artists are sure to be inspired.

Gr 2-4--What do award-winning, children's book author-illustrator Roth and bowerbirds have in common? As Roth explains in this charming informational picture book, both bowerbirds (native to Australia and New Guinea) and she (a resident of Queens, NY) scavenge colorful, bright, shiny objects from nature and the world around them. However, their purposes are different. With her fascinating finds, Roth fashions eye-popping collages to make books; male bowerbirds build elaborately decorated, leafy structures (not nests) to attract mates. On facing spreads throughout, Roth demonstrates how she and her avian counterparts locate and arrange their respective collections to create meticulous, eye-catching "unexpected compositions." Children will be amused that both human and feathered artists use "tools" similarly: the bowerbird's beak "operates like tweezers" and "his feet are like my hands." Roth's writing is simple, direct, and inspirational. Students will gain a clear idea of how much can be learned by watching birds utilize odd bits to optimal creative advantage. The book's collages fly off the pages with color and energy, and the strands of Roth's artfully disheveled hair even resemble feathers. Enhancing the title's usefulness are the author's notes in the back matter about bowerbirds, and their and her own work methods. VERDICT Recommended for public and school collections. This vibrant book will work well as a read-aloud in a group setting and as a springboard/introduction for creative-thinking and creative-art sessions.--Carol Goldman, formerly at Queens Library, NY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

What do a bowerbird and an artist have in common? More than one might think. In this cheerfully offbeat tale, Roth compares her work as a collage artist to the magpie creativity of male bowerbirds, who build elaborate shelters adorned with a variety of found objects to attract mates. Listing their many similarities--"we are both collectors of unusual, often unrelated stuff"; "we both are dependent upon nature and on manufactured junk for our art supplies"--she gives young readers an honest look at the creative process that slyly undermines the notion that vaunted human activities are unique. Rich cut-paper collages studded with gems, sparkly pipe cleaners, feathers, and paper ephemera depict artist and bird at work. Endnotes delve further into facts about bowerbirds and their similarities to the artist, and present an eclectic bibliography alongside a photo of a blue-eyed bowerbird and his bottle cap-bedecked creation. Ages 4-8. (May)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

The well-known picture-book author and artist takes a quirky look at her own work and some natural history as she compares her collage creating to the male bowerbird's construction of elaborate bowers. . . . Budding artists may be inspired by the inviting maker scenes, while young naturalists will want to hear more about these and other artistic animal creations.—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books