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The Children’s Book Review | May 7, 2019
My Name Isn’t Oof!: Warren the Warbler Takes Flight
Written by Michael Galligan
Illustrated by Jeremiah Trammell
Age Range: 3-7
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Little Bigfoot (May 21, 2019)
ISBN-13: 978-1632171931
What to expect: Birds: Townsend Warblers, Forest Animals, and Perseverance
Standing on “the brink of a branch,” Warren watches his three siblings take flight for the first time. Things don’t go so well for Warren … he lands in a bed of pine needles and moss with an “oof!” Fellow forest-dwellers rush in to offer Warren flying advice—a chipmunk, a mouse, a squirrel, a rabbit, and a skunk—and they name him Oof. Warren consistently reminds them that his name isn’t Oof, and he is sure he did all the right things that would enable him to fly: jump, spread his wings, and flap. When he gives it another try, the animals take cover, as they are sure Warren is going to crash with an “oof” again. Warren wavers from left to right, but he doesn’t give up. He keeps on flapping and warbles with pride as he zooms to the top of his tree, reminding his new forest friends that his name is not Oof—his name is Warren!
The elegantly simple text rolls off the tongue as the story builds momentum towards Warren taking flight. Painted illustrations with a canvas texture match the rustic nature of this book with lovely forest greens and natural, inviting colors—you can almost hear Warren’s warbles through the visuals of his open beak. The factual back matter on Townsend Warblers and baby birds is a pleasant bonus.
My Name Isn’t Oof!: Warren the Warbler Takes Flight is a lovely little tale of one bird’s first attempt at flying. It offers a nice introduction to the message of perseverance for young readers ages 3 through 7, and also works—thanks to the back matter—as an introductory resource for introducing kids to the world of birds.
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About the Author
When someone asked what animal MICHAEL GALLIGAN would want to be, he said a bird, because he thought flying would be the most fantastic ability. But since he still can’t fly, he loves to watch and listen to the birds on Washington state’s beautiful Olympic Peninsula, where he lives with his family. My Name Isn’t Oof! is his authorial debut
About the Illustrator
JEREMIAH TRAMMELL is an illustrator whose work has appeared in over five children’s books, including Little Red Riding Hood of the Pacific Northwest, Three Bears of the Pacific Northwest, and The Giant Cabbage. He lives in Seattle.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a non-biased review of “My Name Isn’t Oof!: Warren the Warbler Takes Flight,” sponsored* by Little BigFoot. Learn more about getting a book review …
