Dr. Coo and the Pigeon Protest

by Sarah Hampson, Kass Reich (Illustrator)

Overview

Dr. Archibald Coo, an erudite big-city pigeon, is tired of the way people treat him and the other pigeons. They're always being shooed and swatted, and they're never admired the way the other birds are. As Dr. Coo tells his pigeon friends: “It wasn't always this way.” In ancient times, pigeons were known to accompany the gods. They brought news of the Olympic Games to all of ancient Greece. And more recently, they delivered messages and medicine to soldiers on battlefields. They were heroes! Surely, Dr. Coo reasons, pigeons can find a way to earn the admiration of people once again. And he's got just the bold plan to do it.

Award-winning journalist Sarah Hampson's picture book debut is a celebration of the diversity inherent in a big city and a lesson on how looking for the good in others is the best way to get along with them. Through her activist pigeons, she offers a child-friendly example of how to affect change, and shows how cooperation and compromise are the keys for diverse groups to harmoniously coexist — a topical subject. With soft lines and a warm palette, Kass Reich's illustrations bring a fresh pigeon's-eye perspective to New York's inhabitants and cityscapes. This book could be used to spark classroom discussions on respecting differences, working out disagreements, or stepping up to counter injustice, all important subjects for the budding self-awareness and personal development of young children. It also aligns with character education lessons on self-respect, initiative and inclusiveness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771383615
Publisher:	Kids Can Press
Publication date:	04/03/2018
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,020,675
Product dimensions:	9.40(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Sarah Hampson is an award-winning journalist with the Globe and Mail. This is her first foray into the world of writing for children. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Kass Reich worked for three years in Beijing as an early childhood educator — and that's what inspired her to start making picture books. She now lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Editorial Reviews

A warm addition for one-on-one and small group sharing.—School Library Journal

... a welcome addition to classroom lessons about respect.—Quill & Quire

... a wonderful tool for leading discussions with young children about concepts such as acceptance and friendship, as well as pointing out ways to peacefully work out frustrations and grievances.—Quebec Library Association

... a pleasant lighthearted read ...—CM Magazine

... promotes the importance of learning to live together even when there are differences.—Resource Links

From the Publisher

03/01/2018
PreS-Gr 2—Dr. Coo is a pigeon with a problem. He's noticed that for far too long, pigeons have gone unappreciated, and yearns for a time when they are valued like when they were used as carrier pigeons. With the help of his friends, Dr. Coo forms a pigeon protest, only returning to the city when the birds feel loved again. The story is pleasant but is a bit wordy; the actual protest doesn't happen until rather late in the book, so the four main birds spend most of their time pleading their case to each other about how pigeons aren't respected. Though the message is welcome, the approach may be too monotonous for some. Reich's soft and adorable approach definitely elevates the piece. Her birds are cartoonish but gentle, and seeing them being chased around by old ladies and wearing army helmets definitely make the case for pigeon appreciation. VERDICT A warm addition for one-on-one and small group sharing.—Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI

School Library Journal

2017-12-11
Hampson takes a stab at encouraging fellow feeling between pigeons and people.The story starts with a small cabal of big-city pigeons grousing that they don't get much respect. They know humans hate them, but they don't seem to understand why—though Reich's illustrations, which display a variety of responses to pigeons, hint at the reasons. Dr. Coo rouses the others by recounting their great history as carriers of messages and symbols of peace. Their worth validated, the pigeons decide to prove it to the humans by hiding from the city folk. With no pigeons, the city is an eerie place, and those who liked feeding the birds miss them. A petition is delivered to the mayor demanding respect in return for the pigeons' coordination in pooping activities—the first textual mention of this bone of human-pigeon contention—and arguing that pigeons are a valuable part of the city's diversity. Despite lofty intentions, this story simply doesn't provide much more than poop entertainment. The interactions among the pigeons are arch and mannered, and at least one joke (about millennials) will fly over the audience's heads. Dr. Coo's history lesson notwithstanding, many will feel that feral city pigeons are misidentified as unjustly marginalized.There is a reason an overexplosion of pigeons rattles many feathers, and this tale doesn't dispel it. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Review