review
Cheering Bird is not called that for nothing, she cheers up everyone who is not happy or worried. She has a busy day, she helps woombats, koala brothers, a kangaroo and grandpa and grandma Emu. Because of all the help she offers to other animals, Cheery Bird loses her beautiful colors and at the end of the day she is very tired. Can she help other animals the next day? What is her secret? The text was written by Edward van de Vendel, Ingrid and Dieter Schubert made the beautiful drawings. The picture book is suitable for children from the age of four.
Content article
- Data from the book Opvilarvogeltje
- About the writer, Edward van de Vendel
- Collaboration with Ingrid and Dieter Schubert
- The content of the book
- The text and illustrations
- Two excerpts from the book
- Cheering Bird makes others happy
Data from the book Opvilarvogeltje
- Text: Edward van de Vendel
- Illustrations: Ingrid & Dieter Schubert
- Publisher: Lemniscaat
- Published: 2015
- Number of pages: 30
- ISBN: 978 90 477 0707 3
- Suitable for: children from 4 years old
About the writer, Edward van de Vendel
Edward van de Vendel was born on August 1, 1964 in Leerdam. As an education he did the Pedagogical Academy. He was principal of a primary school for four years, after which he worked for a few more years as a master at several schools. His first book is Caught Me! (1996). He has been a full-time writer since 2001. Edward has written lyrics for picture books, poems for children, young people and adults. Also stories for children and adults, informative books about school. Football is his favorite sport and Edward has written books about it. Several of his works have been awarded, for example a Silver Palet in 2014 for the book Het hondje dat Nino did not have, and the Flemish Children’s Poetry Prize in the same year.
Collaboration with Ingrid and Dieter Schubert
Edward chose the Australian animal world for the book. The Schubert couple immersed themselves in this world and came up with cute wombats, a serious and gloomy kangaroo and grandfather and grandmother Emu in their rocking chairs.
The content of the book
The Cheering Bird flies around. It is an important bird, it makes all animals that feel sad or bored happy again. It will be a busy day. She passes three wombats on a playground. One does not want to participate, the other cannot participate and the third is not allowed to participate. Cheerful bird makes sure that they do something together.
Three koala brothers those who are bored go on a love path after the visit of Cheery Bird. King Kangaroo feels less gloomy and grandpa and grandma because of the Cheer Bird Emu swing by Cheering Bird energetically again in their rocking chairs. All animals feel happy.
Cheering bird is tired at the end of the day, she has done so much. Her beautiful colors fade away. Arriving at her nest, her rescuers appear.
The text and illustrations
On the front of the book an image of the Cheering Bird floating in the air. Her feathers resemble those of a peacock. The title in blue letters: Opvilarvogeltje. On the back it is stated in five sentences what the book is about. On the flyleaves you see some animals that Cheer Bird will encounter in the story. It is reminiscent of a cave painting. All illustrations cover a double page. They contain a lot of details and are well worth a closer look for both children and adults. Text and illustrations complement each other. Nice that two fish on legs occasionally comment. One asks a question, the other answers. There comes the Cheer Bird is repeated a lot in the story. The text is easy to follow for the target group.
Two excerpts from the book
Fragment 1
It’s almost noon
and up in the eucalyptus tree, the koala brothers wonder
why they should actually climb
and eat, and breathe.
Nothing special ever happens.
Nothing new ever happens.
Fragment 2
Poor Cheering Bird.
Why do you say that?
She looks so tired.
She is.
Cheering Bird has worked hard to make everyone happy.
Now she really wants to be home, and she’s not home yet.
I find that pathetic.
She will have to help other animals tomorrow, right?
Can she still do that?
Yes, because ??
Because?
Cheering Bird makes others happy
Children (and adults) are happy with the Opv Vrolijkvogeltje. It is a bird with feathers in beautiful colors and it makes other animals that are sad or gloomy happy again. Animals from Australia have been chosen: cute wombats, koala bears, king kangaroo and emus. The animals are all beautifully drawn by the Schubert couple. Funny that every now and then something is said by two fish on legs ?? The text is fun to read. Here comes the Cheer Bird is a phrase that occurs several times in the story. The plot is surprising!