Review: Birds by Kevin Henkes, Illustrated by Laura Dronzek
Thursday, September 24th, 2009
Birds
by Kevin Henkes
illustrated by Laura Dronzek
Published by Greenwillow Books, 2009
ISBN: 978-0061363047
Birds is an excellent new picture book by well known and loved children’s and YA author Kevin Henkes, and illustrated by Laura Droznek, his wife. Henkes and Droznek previously collaborated 10 years ago on their book Oh!
Henkes‘ text and Droznek‘s illustrations mesh perfectly in this beautiful book which is told from the perspective of a young girl. The text is simple, straightforward, and witty. The illustrations remarkably express and expand everything that is written. When I was reading this book to my youngest daughter tonight as I was putting her to bed, I wondered how someone other than Henkes himself could express through the illustrations the book so well. Learning just this evening that Henkes and Droznek are married explains a lot.
I quickly searched the internet looking for more pictures from the book so I could show just how beautiful it is, but I couldn’t find any other than the cover and these two. When you’re in the bookstore, look for Birds
If clouds were birds,
the sky would look like this.
Or this.
The illustrations for these two pages are exquisite; I want them for my wall.
Droznek has also illustrated several books by George Shannon.
