About the book
A lonely and downcast boy trudges Manhattan’s gray streets on his way to school, mocked or ignored by his classmates.
Though he yearns for a friend, he at first doesn’t notice the bright bluebird that flitters behind him. The bird follows the boy to school and waits for him. Discovering the little bluebird as it follows him home, the boy perks up. The two quickly become friends, playing hide-and- seek, sharing a cookie, and sailing a toy boat in the pond.
But as the dusky sky turns ominously dark, the bird and boy follow a Central Park path where they are ambushed by bullies who try to take the toy boat. When one bully hurls a stick at the boy, the little bluebird flaps into the way, protecting his new friend.
The bluebird is struck down and lies unmoving on the pavement.
The inconsolable boy picks the still bird up and holds it in his hands. Is the boy’s cheery-winged friend really dead?
The story doesn’t tell us. In the final illustrations, as the dark sky lightens, the boy holds up his hand and, as if by magic, the bird flies away into the clouds accompanied by a many-colored flock.
What do you think happened?
About the Author
Growing up in Los Angeles in the 1960s, young Bob Staake understood why his parents had to focus most of their attention on his younger brother who had health issues. But it meant Bob grew up a loner, much like the little boy in Bluebird. Relying only on himself, he muddled through life, learning mostly by trial and error. Today, he thinks these childhood experiences made him a better children’s book author.
Although Bob has done illustrations for a variety of periodical publications, his focus is on children’s books. So far he has done more than 55! Most are bright and breezy, full of color. After all, he grew up not far from Disney Land!
Bluebird is a very different style for Bob, and it took him ten years to get it just right. He does say it is the book he “was born to write.” The story is inspired by a walk he took in Central Park on a gorgeous spring day. A bird seemed to be following Bob everywhere, and he was determined to capture the feeling of that moment.
As a child, Bob claims he was a voracious page-turner, not a great reader. He really studied the pictures. That is why he made this deeply personal book wordless—to remind parents of the importance of looking! The stylized illustrations in this book are distinctively geometric with a monotone palette of steely grays with a splash of bright blue. Each page is broken into smaller panels to move the action along and to indicate the passage of time.
At first this Cape Cod resident didn’t think he had the “credentials” to pull off such an unusual book. But when he posted a sample spread on Facebook and people went crazy for it, he decided he just had to go for it. The hardest part was finding an editor who was willing to take a chance on the book.
Sources:
Amazon
Author Interview-Publisher’s Weekly
Also by Bob Staake:
My Pet Book. Random House Books for Young Readers. July 2014.
The Donut Chef. Dragonfly Books. 2013.
Look! Another Book! Little, Brown and Company. 2012.
Look! A Book! Little, Brown and Company. 2011.
The First Pup : The Real Story of How Bo Got to the White House. Feiwel and Friends. 2010. Pets Go Pop! Little, Brown and Company. 2009.
Trucks Go Pop! Little, Brown and Company. 2008.
The Red Lemon. Golden Books/Children’s. 2006.
Read More:
How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham
In the busy city no one notices when a pigeon falls to the ground with a broken wing—except one little boy named Will. With his parents help, Will takes the wounded bird home. Healing takes a long time but the boy is very gentle and very patient. Will the bird heal completely and fly free?
The First Pup : The Real Story of How Bo Got to the White House by Bob Staake
Once upon a time, a man named Barack Obama ran for president of the United States. On the night of his victory, he made a very important announcement…he promised his daughters a puppy! This book describes why the president made that promise and how a puppy born on a Texas farm came to live in the White House. You also will learn how Senator Ted Kennedy helped find the puppy that was eventually named Bo.
The Robot and the Bluebird by David Lucas
When working robots are unable to fix the missing heart of a broken robot, he is tossed on the scrap heap. In the cold snowy winter, a tired migrating bluebird lands on his shoulder. The robot builds a cozy nest for her where his heart once beat. Rejuvenated by the warm bird, the robot carries the bluebird through the industrial wasteland, till they find her flock.