Review - Albert

Albert
by Donna Jo Napoli
illustrated by Jim LaMarche
Date: 2001
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: hardcover
Source: library

You never know what a day will bring.

The morning begins like any other. Albert reaches out the window to check the weather. But from the moment a twig lands smack in the palm of his hand, life is never the same. In her first picture book, Donna Jo Napoli invents a magical and inspiring tale that will capture the heart of any reader who has loved a pet. Jim LaMarche creates an endearing character in Albert and a classic setting for the miraculous new world that unfolds around him.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of a young man named Albert who, every day, sticks his hand outside to check the weather. Based on the sounds he hears, he decides whether or not to venture out. It sounds like he mostly stays indoors.

One day, during one of these weather checks, he's surprised by a pair of cardinals who build a nest in his hand and lay their eggs! He can't pull his hand back in without disturbing the nest, so he ends up standing there... for weeks! (This is the only part of the book I really have a problem with. How did poor Albert go to the bathroom?) Eventually, the father bird even starts to feed Albert as one of his own. Albert keeps the nest safe and waits patiently for the eggs to hatch. And once they do, he's got one more little job to do, helping one of his new friends spread its wings...

The illustrations are really lovely. The passage of time is shown as Albert's facial hair gets scruffier. The choice to draw him as a young man is interesting; given the subject matter and the text, he could very well have been ancient. The soft colours and lovely details make each page a feast for the eyes.

I'd heard of Donna Jo Napoli (and may even have read one of her novels years ago), but I'd never read one of her picture books. I've seen some of Jim LaMarche's work before, though, and I think this book has made me even more of a fan.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.33 out of 5