Bird and Birdie in A Fine Day by Ethan Long Ages 2-5 48 pages Tricycle Press April 2010 Hardcover     Bird and Birdie begin and end their day talking to each other. They are always upbeat about the beautiful morning, the wonderful afternoon, and the marvelous night ahead of them, but disruptions darken their mood. A bolt of lightning, annoying noises and an uncomfortable nest spoil their happiness and cause the friends to momentarily change their positive outlook about the day. Luck, kindness, and shared ideas result in happy endings in each of these three stories though as Bird and Birdie continue to meet throughout the day. Although the dialogue is minimal, the sound effects and facial expressions add depth to Bird and Birdie’s personalities. The narrative flows smoothly despite there being three storylines, and the references to The Princess and the Pea mattress and The Lady and the Tramp spaghetti kiss add humor to this tale about male and female friendship. Rendered in Photoshop, the illustrations consist of bright yellow and blue against a pastel-colored sky. All of the action takes place in a tree or on the ground with leaves, clouds and puddles added as detail. A graduate of the Ringling School of Art and Design, Ethan Long is the author and illustrator of Tickle the Duck! and creator of the television series Tasty Time With ZeFronk! His illustrations appear in several children’s books, including Halloween Sky Ride, Trollerella and You and Me: We’re Opposites.     web reviews   Tanya Boudreau/2010 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)