I discovered today’s Perfect Picture Book while visiting a favorite bookstore last week. After skimming it quickly, I just had to buy it for a special granddaughter and review it today.
Title: The Rare Bird
Written & Illustrated By: Elisha Cooper
Publisher/Date: Roaring Brook Press/2026
Suitable for Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: cats, imagination, birds, books, dreaming, humor
Opening:
The Rare Bird flew through the forest,
flying so fast he knocked the leaves off the trees.
Brief Synopsis: A cat imagines it is a bird out in the wild as it travels around its city home.
Links to Resources:
· Do you have a pet at home? What do you think it dreams about? Describe its dreams in words or pictures;
· How is a cat similar to a bird? How is it different?
· Learn more about cats and birds.
Why I Like this Book:
With gorgeous pastel watercolor illustrations and lyrical text, Cooper introduces readers to a cat who pretends he is a bird exploring the world. But the cat, in fact, is in a city apartment, where he flies “under the splashing waterfall, and into the gurgling pond.” Like me, you probably wonder what these are. As the illustrations show, and as kids will quickly and happily discover, they are a shower and a toilet. What fun!
After this busy day, this rare bird sleeps and dreams of flying in the wild, with other birds, soaring above the forest and among the clouds. I love how Cooper re-envisions the cat as an actual bird – pay close attention to his dreamy illustrations.
And where does this clever cat find ideas to feed his imagination and nurture his dreams? In books – how wonderful is that!
Whether you’re a cat lover, a bird lover, or just looking for a gorgeous new picture book that extols the virtues of reading in a most unique way, I highly recommend The Rare Bird.
A Note about Craft:
I love Cooper’s inspiration for this clever book. As he states on his website, “The cat is based on our cat. He’s a special guy, not really a cat….One day he was flying around our apartment, almost airborne, and I looked at him and thought… bird.”
This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!
Wander, Ponder, Write 