The debut book of Jeremy Tankard's high-flying Bird series! Bird wakes up feeling grumpy. Too grumpy to eat or play -- too grumpy even to fly. "Looks like I'm walking today," says Bird. He walks past Sheep, who offers to keep him company. He walks past Rabbit, who also could use a walk. Raccoon, Beaver, and Fox join in, too. Before he knows it, a little exercise and companionship help Bird shake his bad mood. Praised by the Wall Street Journal as "comic perfection," this winsome, refreshingly original picture book is sure to help kids (and grown-ups) giggle away their grumpies, too! Bird's im peck ably crafted, hilarious melodramas continue in the Grumpy Bird board book, Boo Hoo Bird , Hungry Bird , and coming in 2018, Sleepy Bird . PreSchool-K—Bird wakes up one morning feeling out of sorts-too grumpy to eat, too grumpy to play, and even too grumpy to fly. "Looks like I'm walking today," he grumbles. On his way, he passes a succession of happy-go-lucky animals, including a sheep, a rabbit, and a beaver, all of whom ask him what he is doing. "Walking," he responds, more and more testily, and each creature decides to join him. Eventually, the walk turns into an impromptu game of follow-the-leader, and Bird finds himself having so much fun that he forgets to be grumpy. Finally, he invites them all to fly back to his nest with him, and, oddly enough, they do. This straightforward story is enlivened by unusual mixed-media illustrations. Each scene consists of sketches of farmland or trees, layered over photographs of real farms and trees. Cheerful flowers and stars are scribbled throughout. The animal characters are simplistic cartoons with thick black outlines and comical facial expressions. The slightly psychedelic quality of the art works to foreshadow the whimsical ending, which otherwise comes as a surprise after the wry, sarcastic tone of the rest of the story. Grumpy Bird would make a good addition to storytimes with themes of emotions or imagination.— Rachael Vilmar, Atlanta Fulton Public Library, GA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Distinctions and Praise for Grumpy Bird : An LA Times Favorite Book of 2007"Comic perfection." -- The Wall Street Journal "Hilarious." -- The Los Angeles Times "Tankard's illustrations alone will cheer up any bad mood." -- Parent & Child Magazine , Teachers' Picks, April 2007"A way out of a bad mood for surly birds, whatever their species." -- Publishers Weekly "Whimsical and funny." -- Kirkus Reviews "A good addition to storytimes." -- School Library Journal Praise for Boo Hoo Bird : "Mood master Jeremy Tankard succeeds again." -- Time Out New York "Like Mo Willems . . . Tankard takes the worldview of the toddler seriously while appreciating its humor. He has distilled his insight into the toddler mind into dramas that are the pint-size equivalent of Shakespeare." -- The Los Angeles Times "Bet high on this becoming another storytime winner, just like its predecessor." -- Booklist "Distinctive." -- Horn Book "Playful pacing and taut expressions capture the humor and vulnerability of Bird and his gang. This selection will resonate." -- Kirkus Reviews "With its blend of realism and exaggeration, condolence and humor, this may well turn a sympathetic 'Boo hoo hoo!' into a family standby in times of bonkitude." -- BCCB Praise for Hungry Bird : "Bird is over-the-top, self-absorbed, melodramatic, and hilarious . . . A delightful romp." -- Kirkus Reviews "Picky eaters will be laughing along and trying new things in no time with this funny installment of Bird and friends. A recommended purchase perfect for storytime or small group sharing that will be in high demand." -- School Library Journal "Once again, Tankard draws a lot of humor from the disconnect between the chunky-cute looks of his woodland cast and the angry depths of his rosy-cheeked hero." -- Publishers Weekly JEREMY TANKARD is the creator of the Los Angeles Times Favorite Book Grumpy Bird and its companions Boo Hoo Bird , Hungry Bird and Sleepy Bird , and the illustrator of several acclaimed picture books, including Rachel Vail’s Piggy Bunny and David LaRochelle’s It's a Tiger! . The beloved Bird books are bestsellers in Tankard’s native Canada. He lives in Vancouver with his wife and two children.