Unfortunately, this wasn't our cup of tea.
the kids did not want to continue reading it.
The illustrations are a bit grotesque too.

‘Birds of a Feather’ by Vanita Oelschlager is a delightful exploration of idioms and their meanings, presented through a whimsical narrative that both entertains and educates. The book creatively uses animal-themed illustrations to bring classic idiomatic expressions to life, making it a fun and engaging read for both children and adults.

Plot: ★★★★☆

The plot is a clever and humorous take on idiomatic expressions related to birds. The way the book incorporates these phrases into a cohesive story is both original and entertaining. The playful approach to explaining idioms makes the book enjoyable and memorable.

Character: ★★★★☆

The characters in the book, primarily the animals, are charming and amusing. They embody the idioms they represent in a way that is both cute and engaging. The character development, though minimal, effectively adds to the humour and appeal of the story.

Illustrations: ★★★★☆

The illustrations are delightful, capturing the essence of the idioms with a playful and colourful style. They complement the text perfectly, enhancing the overall experience and making the idioms visually appealing.

Engagement: ★★★★☆

The book is engaging for readers of all ages. Its humorous take on idioms and the vibrant illustrations keep the reader interested and entertained. It’s a great read for both children, who will enjoy the visuals and humour, and adults, who can appreciate the clever use of language.

Readability: ★★★★☆

The readability is excellent. The text is clear and well-organized, making it easy to follow. The idioms are presented in a way that is accessible to readers of different ages and reading levels, making the book a valuable educational tool as well as an entertaining read.

Enjoyment: ★★★★☆

Overall, ‘Birds of a Feather’ is highly enjoyable. It combines humour, education, and charming illustrations into a cohesive package that is sure to delight readers. Whether used in a classroom setting or enjoyed at home, it’s a book that brings a smile and a few laughs while also teaching valuable lessons about idioms.


‘Birds of a Feather’ by Vanita Oelschlager is a well-crafted and engaging book that offers a fresh take on idiomatic expressions through humour and delightful illustrations. Its clever use of language and appealing visuals make it a great choice for readers of all ages, providing both entertainment and education.

How cute was that??? Oh my gosh…the illustrations were so cute and colorful! Love everything about it! It makes me want to pick up my watercolors and try my hand at painting again.

Birds of a Feather: A Book of Idioms and Silly Pictures by Vanita Oelschlager is a fun book full of idioms with hilarious illustrations. An idiom is a phrase that is common in a language or culture that means something different from how it literally sounds. The following idioms are found in this book.

Goosebumps

Raining cats and dogs

Bull in a China Shop - You are clumsy when you should be careful.

"You have knocked over three things. You are like a bull in a china shop."

Birds of a feather flock together

Bright eyed and bushy tailed

Bring home the bacon

Look what the cat dragged in

Snug as a bug in a rug

No spring chicken

Butterflies in your stomach

Barking up the wrong tree

A wild goose chase

Hogwash - If something you say or write is not true, or worthless, it is hogwash.

"That is not true. It is just hogwash."

Ants in your pants

Let the cat out of the bag

Like two peas in a pod

"Birds of a father" is indeed a book of "idioms and silly pictures".

I read this book with my 5-year-old and have to say that, although the images are really nice, I feel like the some of the illustrations were not particularly interesting or were only vaguely related to the expressions.

We really enjoyed the pages such as "raining cats and dogs" or "bringing home the bacon", but the picture for "look what the cat dragged in" with a cat driving a racecar or the chicken in the snow for "no spring chicken" felt a bit random.

This is a fun illustrated book about idioms for kids. Idioms are often overlooked in the classroom but are so important for all students, but especially ELL's to know about as they contain figurative language that wouldn't make sense if not explained.

Kudos to VanitaBooks, LLC and NetGalley for this digital copy.

Adorable illustrations that depict some of America's silly idioms. This is a fun and clever way for children to learn.

Visually engaging and educational.

I loved this book! It is full of popular idioms with colorful and humorous illustrations, and I loved the upside down text that explained the definition and used the idiom in a sentence. Flipping a book upside down on each page will be sure to keep children entertained for the entire book!

Thank you to VanitaBooks, LLC and NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

I am not going to lie...I kind of thought how the birds were illustrated in this book made the birds look a little scary. However, I am looking at this book on a computer screen and not a paper book, so that miight be why. Even if they were slightly creepy, I think they reminded me also of Big Bird from Sesame Street (who is the opposite of creepy). it would be interesting to know if any children were scared of the illustrations in this book. Overall, I thought the story was charming though. And of course, since I am an adult and not a child I am not the target audience for this book, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. It was still a good book!



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Birds of a Feather: A Book of Idioms and Silly Pictures" by Vanita Oelschlager is a delightful exploration of idioms through playful illustrations and engaging narratives. Idioms, those quirky phrases that add color to our language, are cleverly depicted through the lens of literal interpretation, creating a whimsical and educational experience for young readers.

Vanita Oelschlager has crafted a book that not only entertains but also educates. Each page introduces a popular idiom, such as "raining cats and dogs" or "cool as a cucumber," accompanied by vibrant illustrations that bring the idioms to life in a literal sense. The artwork is both charming and humorous, encouraging children to think creatively and critically about the meanings behind these expressions.

What makes "Birds of a Feather" stand out is its ability to make learning idioms fun. By presenting them in a visual format, Oelschlager invites readers to decipher the figurative meanings behind the idiomatic phrases, fostering language comprehension and critical thinking skills. The book also includes a glossary at the end, providing definitions for each idiom and further enhancing the learning experience.

Moreover, the book's format makes it accessible to a wide range of readers, including young children who are just beginning to explore language and older students who are expanding their vocabulary. The colorful illustrations and simple explanations make it engaging for preschoolers, while the inclusion of more complex idioms ensures that older children can also benefit from the book's content.

Overall, "Birds of a Feather: A Book of Idioms and Silly Pictures" is a delightful addition to any child's library. It combines the joy of storytelling with the educational value of language exploration, making it a must-read for young readers eager to spread their wings and soar into the world of idioms.

Rating: 5/5

Birds of a Feather is a cute book with lots of anecdotes and sayings and their accompanying explanations. The pictures are fun and vibrant and pair nicely with the story. The only downside was the explanations were upside down on the ebook (which made them hard to read as when you flip the book it’s once again upside down) although in a physical copy you could easily flip the book to read it. I loved the fun sayings and explanations and the story definitely holds little one’s attention’s with the colorful content.

Birds of a Feather by Vanita Oelschlager is a cute book about idioms. My 2nd grade class always laughs when I say "Do you have ants in your pants?" when they are squirmy on the carpet. I thought they would enjoy this book and I was not wrong! Each page contains a silly illustration to help young learners with the literal meaning of the words in a common idiom. Some were easier for them to understand than others but overall it was a fun and educational read. I recommend this books to parents and teachers.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me voluntarily read this book and leave an honest review.

The ‘shut eye of bravery and determination to find on the pact of friendship and kindness as pillars of peace and mutually respectfulness of friends new and old.

A cute book destined to delight children - a reboot of The King Who Rained. My children enjoyed that book and my grandson will enjoy this version.

This book is a lot of fun, with silly phrases and goofy colourful illustrations, it is perfect for children to learn new phrases and meanings

A group of 6-8 year olds and I had a wonderful time reading this book together. The giggles were many, the questions too. The illustrations were perfect. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the sound of children learning and having fun.

As we know children are curious so they ask questions. I'm waiting for my kid to grow up and ask silly questions.

One day while talking to a friend, I said "oh no just let the cat out of the bag already." Her 6 years old came running and asked where the cat is. It got difficult fast enough to explain to him that there wasn't really a cat.

So this book is about idioms and can help kids understand what the idioms are in a fun and enjoyable way.

Thank you Netgalley and Vanitabooks for ARC in exchange of an honest review.

A gorgeous picture book full of idioms. Perfect for children, my daughter really liked this one. We loved the illustrations which made the book feel fun and vibrant.

Unfortunately I cannot read or review this title. The title will not load on the app and none of the programs I have on my phone or chromebook will read the format that is used. Since I cannot submit without a star rating I will give it three stars.

This book is not only entertaining, it is also a fantastic educational tool for early age children as well as teachers.

The author believes that idioms show a language's sense of humor.

Oelschlager states "They're your language's ticklish spots, so learning them can be lots of fun".

Young children can be encouraged to guess what the phrase actually means!
When the book is turned upside down, readers are provided with what the phrase actually means and how it’s used in a sentence. (Almost like a spelling bee!)

I loved the illustrations and the use of them 😂