In this odd little story, award-winning young adult novelist Donna Jo Napoli (Zel, Spinners, etc.) takes her first stab at writing a picture book. It's quirky, it's whimsical... It's a little perplexing. The moral, apparently, is that we need to seize life by the lapels, take the good with the bad, not hide our heads underground. But this message may apply more strongly to adults, especially as the protagonist himself is a young man. Still, children will love the idea of a bird building its nest in someone's hand. With colored pencils, Jim LaMarche creates luminous full-page illustrations with charming details and intriguing angles. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Product Description

Illustrations are lovely, and the content is appropriate for older kids exploring more complex emotions.


Up lifting message   April 28, 2002
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Everyday Albert sticks his hand out the window to see if the weather is just right for him to take a walk. Everyday he decides it is either too windy or too hot because he fears the bad experiences he might have outside-until one day a pair of cardinals force him to open his eyes to the world. Colored pencil illustrations in warm tones. This picture book could be used in a classroom to discuss taking risks, growing up, and `leaving the nest'. As a middle school teacher, I might have my students write journal responses about someone or something that nudged them to take a chance they were not sure they were ready to take.


A magical book   November 20, 2001
 14 out of 14 found this review helpful

A reviewer said about this book that "It's a little perplexing" as though this is somehow bad. But it is precisely this ambiguity that makes _Albert_ such an appealing and valuable book. More authors should do what Napoli does, and create books that make children think--not books of brainteasers, although these have their place, or books about difficult moral decisions, although these too may be useful.

But books about characters who do things differently, who see the world in what most of us would think a quirky way--there is always room for more of these, especially when they are written with the delicate and beautiful language that are Napoli's hallmark, and when illustrated with such astonishing artwork.

Children--and many adults--may not be familiar with the medieval saint-tales where behavior such as Albert's is seen as miraculous evidence of grace. But they will surely see that he is a special person. They will also see that there is more than one way to gain courage to face what we fear. That Napoli does this without any preaching, and with so much sensitivy, is a great accomplishment.


Great Story to Read with Your Kids - Super Illustrations   May 25, 2001
 14 out of 14 found this review helpful

I bought this book because I had recently purchased (and loved) LaMarche's book "The Raft", a fantastic story with wonderful illustrations. "Albert" is illustrated by LaMarche but it is authored by Donna Jo Napoli. When my copy arrived, I sat down with three of my kids, ages 7, 9, and 11 and read it with them. They really enjoyed it.

LaMarche's sketches are really fantastic, probably the best I have ever seen in any children's books. He seems to capture facial expressions so well that they genuinely add feeling and depth to the prose written on the pages.

I was initially concerned that Albert was an odd character for a children's book..... (Albert, being easily discouraged by problems, or any signs of problems, has begun to isolate himself from the world.....) but my kids loved the book. It is a great story about healing and friendship.

Donna Jo Napoli has written the story in a way that makes it easy to read aloud. Thoughts are carefully constructed so that each page conveys a complete thought, carefully worded for young readers or listeners.

I read this book with my kids in about twenty minutes. Of course each of them wanted to take it to bed with them after we finished..... the true sign of a really good book.