"Debuting author Pritchard’s sweet-natured storytelling makes a strong case for friendship’s resilience—and balancing capabilities—while Landy’s digital cartooning and washlike textures have plenty of bounce and bubble."
Description
A girl and her best bird friend’s perfect day turns into a perfect opportunity to see things differently in this hilariously sweet story about an opposites-attract friendship, chock-full of Yiddish humor, by Sydney Taylor Honor–winning author Caroline Kusin Pritchard.
Gitty and her feathered-friend Kvetch couldn’t be more different: Gitty always sees the bright side of life, while her curmudgeonly friend Kvetch is always complaining and, well, kvetching about the trouble they get into.
One perfect day, Gitty ropes Kvetch into shlepping off on a new adventure to their perfect purple treehouse. Even when Kvetch sees signs of impending doom everywhere, Gitty finds silver linings and holds onto her super special surprise reason for completing their mission.
But when her perfect plan goes awry, oy vey, suddenly it’s Gitty who’s down in the dumps. Can Kvetch come out of his funk to lift Gitty’s spirits back up?
Reviews
"Landy’s pictures are buoyant, with many bright colors against a background of violet and rose hues....Young readers learn that personalities may not be as fixed as they seem. The most elated child, confronted by disappointment, often feels as powerless as Kvetch. On the other hand, the grumpy little owl turns out to be capable of change....Like Yiddish itself, Kvetch is flexible. Disappointment can be transformed into new alternatives. The fact that the book centers this gentle lesson in the context of an ordinary childhood event, not a moment of real trauma, is important. Kvetch the owl may not share Gitty’s intense sense of adventure, but he helps her to understand the importance of having a friend."
