From the extroadinary creator of "Miss Spider" by David Kirk, here is the first in a gorgeous new series of books for the littlest, biddlest readers. Little Bird is hungry! Mommy always feeds him, but now the time has arrived for Little Bird to venture from the nest and find a tasty bite to eat on his own. As Little Bird finds his way around Biddle Wood, he wisely remembers the lessons his mother—who is watching from afar—has taught him. Never choose meals that are bigger than you! How proud she is of her biddle bird when he finally finds a snack. Young children and their parents will delight in this sweet, reassuring story about exploring one’s own independence. From the creator of Miss Spider ( Little Miss Spider , Miss Spider's New Car , Miss Spider's Tea Party , etc.) comes a new series featuring a sweet little bird. On the verge of independence, little bird, Biddle bird takes the plunge out of the nest and into the world to find a snack. But what's good to eat? Something squashy and salty like a slug? Something crunchy and sweet like a pea pod? "Is a flower a good meal? Will a bug be a treat? Don't gobble up tidbits you find in the street!" From a protective distance, the proud mommy bird watches as her baby begins to pull a meal together for the first time. Readers get the feeling she will be there in a flash if her little bird ventures into the danger zone--for example, when he remembers never to choose meals "that are bigger than you!" But meanwhile, she's content to observe her "dear little big Biddle bird." Young readers will vicariously feel little bird's sense of accomplishment, especially as they begin exploring their own new horizons. David Kirk's shiny, in-your-face illustrations burst off the page, familiar to fans of Miss Spider, but almost too overwhelming for those who prefer kinder, gentler images. (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter PreSchool-K-Anyone familiar with the "Miss Spider" books (Scholastic) will immediately recognize Kirk's dewy, color-infused art in this short and gentle account of a little bird left to fend for itself. "Little bird, Biddle bird,/Time for your snack./But Mommy is busy/and hasn't come back." The simple text offers suggestions for treats that are well matched with the full-page Technicolor, oil-on-paper illustrations. The large, easy-to-read text on the opposite page is accented by spot art. Many of the dietary suggestions, such as "Don't gobble up tidbits/You find in the street!" and "-never choose meals/That are bigger than you!" are good advice for the intended audience as well. Eventually the appropriate meal (a worm) is found and eaten, and the mother bird returns singing praises of her self-sufficient "Dear little big Biddle bird." While Kirk's books are undeniably popular, the saccharine sweetness of this one may not be universally appealing. The first book in a planned series, it will be most enjoyed by the author/illustrator's many fans. Piper L. Nyman, Fairfield/Suisun Community Library, Fairfield, CA Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. The uncommonly unique imagination of David Kirk has an equally uncommon source. "I found a small copy of The Gnomes' Almanac by a little-known Viennese author Ida Bohtta Morpugo. It was a cutout book simply subtitled: A Book for Children. In it, the pictures and verse about bugs, butterflies, and mice really came to life." That got him drawing and writing. Before that he made children's toys by hand. "I love making stories. The bookmaking process is a liberation for me from the years I toiled to produce handmade items. I think the life of a children's book author is bliss." Kirk lives in upstate New York, with his wife and three daughters. For more information about David Kirk, visit: scholastic.com/tradebooks