It’s SO hot outside. All the fancy birds are gathered around the water, wishing they could cool off. But they don’t want to get wet and ruin their fine feathers.

This book was alright. A bit of a confusing allegory. I don't appreciate books where the outcast has to convince and prove their value to the rest of the group. I feel strange saying this since my favorite book is Giraffe's Can't Dance. I would say the difference between that book and this one what the outcast character is being ostracized for. In Giraffe's Can't Dance, Gerald is being ostracized for his dancing skills, something that you can change or get better at. While Oddbird is being ostracized for the colour of his feathers, something they can absolutely not change. Oddbird dresses up in colourful regalia and then climbs up and dives into the water losing all the fake feathers he attached to his body. But the animals are so hot and find Oddbird's idea of swimming in the water to be agreeable to their present situation. They don't apologize to Oddbird for the way they treated him. They just forget about his dull colours because they are happy. Is the lesson that happy people will be less prejudiced? (I mean it makes sense, but that prejudice is always just below the surface. It doesn't go anywhere) Where is Oddbird's reconciliation? Is he just supposed to forget about how he was treated by the other birds because he is temporarily popular? What happens when the heat goes away and the other birds get out of the water and dry off? Will they go back to ostracizing Oddbird for his dull colours again. And finally, why is the outcast character depicted as dull? ( )

Most of the birds at the swimming pond are bright and colorful. But stranger comes to town who is nothing but gray. When the other birds chase the gray bird away, they wonder if they can disguise themselves. The disguise works, and the over birds love them. That is until gray bird and their fake plumage dive into the water and everything comes apart. However, the other birds see what fun Oddbird is having and join in. This book feels rushed. Especially the end. The colors and illustrations are awesome, but something is lacking in the story telling. It is still a good read, it just feels stilted. ( )