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Blue Burt and Wiggles Reviews
Blue Burt and Wiggles is available
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From Kirkus Reviews
Two best friends fail to keep summer from ending, but won't let winter
end their friendship. Blue Burt the bird doesn't want to fly south
and leave his friend Wiggles the worm behind. A forgotten stash of
art supplies suggests a solution. They tape the leaves back on the
trees; paint the grass a summer green; glue paper flowers around the
woods; and string up a paper sun and fluffy clouds. But when the other
forest animals use this summer decor to get themselves ready for winter,
the pair realizes that the forest cannot be fooled. Letters and phone
calls keep them close until their joyous spring reunion. Anderson's
pleasingly busy illustrations give readers a perspective that is only
five inches high. He ingeniously fits more detail on each page by painting
the wide-angle view over the spread, then layering a framed close-up.
Half-hidden humorous details will keep youngsters' attention long after
the first reading, while the expressive and adorable main characters
will have them clamoring for more. A pure pleasure. (Picture book.
3-8)
From
Publishers Weekly
The idea of an eternal summer may sound great in
theory, but in reality it's a whole other story-one that takes center
stage in this delightful tale about a little blue bird and his worm friend.
Anderson (Little Quack) paints his characters with a light hand, both
in narrative and illustration. The opening spread shows the two friends
happily playing a Bird Brain board game-just one of many subtly placed
chuckles for observant readers. Upon realizing their fun will come to
an end when the change of seasons, the two bosom buddies set out to keep
winter from coming. Blue Burt and Wiggles tap into their artistic sides
as they fashion ever-blooming flowers from construction paper and string
up a painted sun whose light will never fade. Their zealous work ethic
energizes the proceedings. Once they witness how all the other animals
are preparing the impending weather, they come to a realization: 'They
couldn't fool the forest. Winter was coming.' Readers likely won't wonder
whether or not the duo will be able to withstand the long distance. Paints
and brushes aside, Anderson's story soundly conveys the glue that bonds
together this unbreakable friendship. Ages 3-8. (Copyright Reed
Business Information, Inc.)