Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

On the African plains, a small bird is ready for some well-deserved rest in her new nest, but "Oh!" A large hoopoe has taken over. "You can build another." She grudgingly does so on a different branch, and "Hey!" A fennec fox moves in... And so on. Sterer's to-the-point speech-bubble text is brought to life in the richly colored illustrations with nimble, energetic lines that adeptly convey the characters' reactions. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A tiny yellow bird has just finished building a nest, but other animals in the savanna think it looks like a good place to rest, too.The design has been planned. The twigs gathered. One last leaf and the nest will be complete. But as the yellow bird flies happily toward the tree, a larger bird is already there. "You can build another," says the bully of a bird. "I guess I could" says the tiny, crestfallen bird. So plans are made again. Twigs are gathered. One last leafand suddenly there's a fennec in the nest! Each attempt to build a cozy home brings a more absurd animal to the tree. A warthog, a gorilla, an elephant, and more balance precariously as they settle in, each with their own sound reason as to why the dwelling suits them. Frustrated and exhausted, the yellow bird finally finds some powerful help to knock everyone out of the tree. But maybe there is a way to share after all. Tsurumi's expressive animals (sometimes uppity, sometimes sheepishall forming a dejected, collective slump when they realize how they've treated their friend) definitely rule the roost. Laid out in mostly double-page spreads and with wry text set entirely in speech balloons, the visual storytelling easily engages readers, perhaps most impressively as the little bird scowls with determination, perched on a wildebeest's horns as it charges directly at readers.Giggle-inducing buffoonery; but thankfully, bigger rivals don't get the last laugh. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.