I either started and never finished Rescuing Mrs. Birdley or I have read it before. However, if it is a reread, I do not remember reading it the first time. This picture book review is as if this is the first and only time, I have read it.
Our “animal expert” (solely by her word only) Miranda sees her teacher in the grocery store. Not unusual. I still run into former educators all over town. However, Miranda has the misunderstanding of what a teachers “natural habitat” is: she thinks teachers live in school and therefore should not be outside of school. Several hijinks later, one grocery store clerk in a “tiger pit” and containers of yogurt later, Miranda captures and relocates her teacher in her room at school. Enter Miranda’s principal also in a store. And of course, we know how this will go.
Aaron Reynolds could have used this book for good, not silly nonsense. I know several children think teachers, administrators and even lunch lady/men live at school. What a great opportunity to teach children/students that teachers are just like them. Instead of a clueless child getting away with kidnapping and frankly, assault. And Emma Reynolds could have made slightly more realistic illustrations, but in the end, they do work out for the tone of the book. They are colorful, bold, and unrealistic. Yes, you know that a person is a person, the yogurt is yogurt, but they are cartoonish.
I am bouncing all over the spectrum of what ages this book would work for and if I have to be locked into a rang, I will say ages at least five to eight. Obviously, this book is not for everyone.
