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Blue
CCBC Review:
A child and a blue heron spend a joyful day together. At sunrise, the child (brown-skinned) rushes excitedly to their bird friend, standing in the foamy water with one leg up, “echoing Blue’s stillness.” The two “shriek” and “splash” with abandon before enjoying lunch. “We are wild. We are free … chasing the afternoon sun.” The heron takes to the sky at sundown, but the child waits, watching the starry heavens in hope and anticipation until—yes! Blue returns! Carrying the child on its back, Blue takes off, rising over the water, soaring through the deep-blue night sky. When it grows too cold for comfort, the friends “softly glide” back to the child’s home, where they “say good night but not goodbye … to dream of meeting again.” The child’s love of blue herons is clear in their choice of bedroom décor and toys: a feathered costume hanging on the wall, a heron mobile, and a stuffed heron held to their chest as they sleep. Sparse, simple, lovely text and indigo-saturated illustrations leave the reality of the story up to interpretation. Is it real? Wishful thinking? A dream? Whether real or imagined, the child’s love of the majestic creature is magical. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman
CCBC Age Recommendation: 3-7
Age Range:
Babies/Toddlers (birth – 3)
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Birds (Fiction)
Dreams
Imagination/Imaginary Play
Diversity subject:
Brown Skin Unspecified
Publisher:
Little, Brown
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 40
ISBN: 9780316311663
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Kaufman