Also written and/or illustrated by Bob Staake: I'm a Monster Truck (Little Golden Board Book) My Pet Book Bugs Galore Robots, Robots Everywhere! (Little Golden Book) Cars Galore We Planted a Tree The Red Lemon Bluebird by Bob Staake Ages 3-6 40 pages Schwartz and Wade April 2013 Hardcover     The boy in Staake's (The Red Lemon; The Donut Chef) new wordless picture book walks to school with downcast eyes. He has learned to keep his distance from everyone. If he's not being ignored by his classmates, he's being picked on by them. The only one able to make him smile is the bluebird that's been following him. As they spend time together afterschool, the boy discovers how much fun it is to have a friend. They eat together, race boats with some new children, and play in the park. The gray and blue digital illustrations set a somber mood though, so it's no surprise when the bullies find him and the blue bird, the boy also discovers how much it hurts to lose a friend. Although the bird lays unmoving in the boy's hand after the bullies throw a stick at it, the ending is open to interpretation. Some readers may think the boy helps revive the bird, while others might think the boy is saying a final goodbye to his new friend. This book could be used in discussions about friendships, bullies, or death.     web reviews   Tanya Boudreau/2013 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)