Stinkbird Has a Superpower

by Jill Esbaum, Bob Shea (Illustrator)

Overview

A hilarious and factual introduction to the Amazonian hoatzin—or stinkbird—and its surprising, incredible superpower. (Spoiler alert: it's more than just the stink!)

Stinkbirds have a lot in common with other birds: they have feathers, wings, and a beak. But they also have . . . a hidden superpower! This proud stinkbird papa would love to tell you more about it—if his adorable chick would quit interrupting him!
 
Is it their stinky, poopy smell?
Nope.
 
What about their loud and beautiful song?
Negative.
 
Is it the fact that they can swim?
Not that either, but you’re getting closer.
 
Just what is it that makes stinkbird chicks so special? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593529522
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	05/16/2023
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,057,303
Product dimensions:	9.13(w) x 11.06(h) x 0.35(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jill Esbaum has written many books for children, including How to Grow a Dinosaur, Frankenbunny, and If a T. Rex Crashes Your Birthday Party. Several of her books have been nominated for state awards, and I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo! won SCBWI’s Crystal Kite award. She also enjoys writing kooky beginning reader stories like Thunder and Cluck, as well as a variety of nonfiction books for National Geographic. Learn more at jillesbaum.com, and follow Jill on Twitter @JEsbaum.

Bob Shea is an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s books including the popular Ballet Cat series, The Dinosaur VS... series, and the runaway smash hit, Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. He is an Eisner Award Nominee and has worked with Comedy Central, PBS Kids, Playhouse Disney, Nick Jr., Google, and other clients. Learn more at bobshea.com.

Editorial Reviews

03/13/2023

As the title of this effusive factual accounting promises, the Amazonian hoatzin—also known as the stinkbird—does have a superpower of sorts. But that power is not, as gaudily orange, pheasant-esque Papa Hoatzin explains to his purple chick, “MY POOPY SMELL!” (even though the quality is super effective at warding off predators). Parent-chick banter from Esbaum (Frog Boots) continues to explore potential superpowers, including hoatzins’ precarious nests, in branches that extend over water. This placement allows the chicks, who lack adult birds’ fetid odor, to easily swim underwater to escape predators. (“Food? I’m food?!” the chick says tearfully before successfully taking a plunge.) At last, the real superpower is revealed: young hoatzins have claws on their wings that allow them to climb trees back into the nest, “like little acrobats.” Peppy, unmistakably fact-forward text gets plenty of zhuzh via digital images by Shea (I Am a Baby). Flat, tropical colors and layers of leaves convey the rainforest’s lushness while providing a suitably theatrical backdrop for an idiosyncratic family’s celebration of pride. Facts conclude. Ages 5–8. Author’s agent: Tricia Lawrence, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Stinkbird Has a Superpower:

* “This comical picture book about the Amazonian hoatzin swoops in to delight readers with funny facts, and Shea’s smooth and textural digital illustrations and eye for composition effectively create a child-like stinkbird perspective . . . Educational narration pairs with bantering dialogue to portray a loving relationship between father and son.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review

“Cheerful and humorous . . . This book would be a treat for a nature-themed storytime. A lively glimpse of a weird and wonderful bird.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Effusive . . . The peppy, unmistakably fact-forward text gets plenty of zhuzh via digital images by Shea. Flat, tropical colors and layers of leaves convey the rainforest’s lushness while providing a suitably theatrical backdrop for an idiosyncratic family’s celebration of pride.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2023-02-25
A hoatzin and his son demonstrate their most amazing characteristic.

In this colorful introduction to the Amazon rainforest bird sometimes called the “stinkbird,” a father describes some distinctive traits, leading up to the revelation of the species’ “superpower.” That power isn’t in its “poopy smell,” which puts predators off adult hoatzins (though not chicks). It’s not its loud song. It’s not its habit of constructing precarious nests, perched over rivers where predators are less likely to reach the chicks, nor is it the fact that baby hoatzins can swim. It’s that the chicks have claws on their wings that allow them to climb back into the nests when they fall out. These scientific facts are embedded in a cheerful and humorous tale. Stylized digital illustrations show a gloriously red and orange father talking to his exuberant purple son in a cartoonlike rainforest setting. One scene depicts a forest full of potential predators, represented only by eyes in the shadows. Another gives faces to these threats—monkeys, snakes, and large birds. The father’s simple narrative is directed at readers and set directly on the images. Yellow speech bubbles indicate what he says to his son; the chick’s responses are in blue speech bubbles. Highlighting characteristics that will appeal to the intended audience (they’ll find the poop-related parts especially hilarious), this book would be a treat for a nature-themed storytime. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A lively glimpse of a weird and wonderful bird. (“true or false?” facts about hoatzins) (Informational picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews