Mariluz avestruz. (Ostrich)

By staff -- Críticas, 6/1/2007

PreS-Gr 1–Antelopes, zebras, giraffes and elephants graze calmly on a stark and serene savannah, while curious young Mariluz bounds about, showing off her tail feathers. At night she sticks her head in the sand, so as not to ruffle her beautiful plume, and pays no heed when her mother tells her that that’s no way for an ostrich to sleep. When her head gets stuck, no one hears her cries, as the text dangles emphatically off the edge of the line. Everybody’s busy, while the other young ostriches just stop by for a laugh. Mom finally checks in, but she can’t pull her out alone, so the rest of the animals line up, teeth-to-tail, to help Mariluz out of the jam. Our protagonist winds up with fewer tail feathers, but has a lot more respect for her mother’s love, community spirit, and most of all how vanity can distract us from the important things in life. Carvalho’s brilliant silk-screened illustrations—reminiscent of Mo Willem’s work in the “Pigeon” series (Caldecott Honor-winner, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!)—are also delightfully simple, yet powerful. They both complement and enhance the story’s flair. Highly recommended for all libraries.—Marietta Barral, South Orange, NJ