Bird sets out to be a hero but finds it isn't that easy. Nothing too special about the writing or the illustrations, but it comes together into a whole that will satisfy a lot of younger readers and their parents. ( )

I loved the storyline in Honey the Hero. Having been an overachieving kid-and starting to see some of the same tendencies in my own child-I saw the incredible value in a tale of wanting to do something so badly, being unsuccessful at it, and yet abiding by the old "try, try again" adage. Honey teaches kids about perseverance, about rising from failure, and about never letting things get in the way of your passion. As if that wasn't enough, it also teaches them the value in helping others! It is literally filled with teaching moments (not just for kids, either!).

I love that Honey the Hero is a smart book. Although the storyline is simple (it has to be, to keep things interesting and quick for young kids), it's not simplistic. The story has excellent higher-level vocabulary (quaint, gazed, zipped, shapely, fluttered, mysteriously, frantic, flitted, nestled-the list goes on and on). As a parent who is forever obsessed with expanding my kid's vocabulary (which, right now, consists mostly of "doggie," "kitty," "up," and "hi"-but we're getting there) and exposing her to new words, this is essential. I loved that I, an adult, was able to read Honey without feeling cheated out of thinking. I kept imagining reading this story with my kids when they're older, and pausing to explain what the new words meant, and how they could use them.

Any parent worth his or her salt knows one thing for sure-if the pictures aren't pretty, the kids aren't sticking around. Thankfully, that's not a problem with Chand's Bird Brain Books. The illustrations are bright, colorful, crisp, and clear. They're a perfect complement to the story, letting parents sugarcoat the life skills medicine the books are handing out. Kudos to illustrator Sarah Shaw.

My kiddo is too young to really talk, so discussion of the valuable lessons within the books was out of the question. However, she loved the illustrations. She insisted on "petting" the birds and other animals (in a way that reminded me a little of Elmyra Duff, but whatever--we've got time to work on finesse), and squealed in delight whenever a new page was turned. In my mommy-to-an-energetic-and-willful-toddler world, that amounts to rousing applause and a solid A+. ( )