Arlo is a crow who is very keen for his friend Pips, a little yellow bird, to know exactly how clever he is. Pips mostly tolerates his new friend’s boasting but also calls him out a couple of times – ‘you brag too much’ – to which Arlo cheerfully replies: ‘Sorry about that, I can’t help it!’ And really when you learn how clever crows are, you can’t blame Arlo for being proud. Every time Arlo does something new in the story there is a little disclaimer on the page that clarifies, yes actually crows really are this clever. By the end of this short, junior graphic novel I had learned five new and fascinating things about crows that I couldn’t wait to share!

There is so much for kids to love in this book: the nifty facts, the bright clear logical illustrated panels, the expressive and cute animals, and Pips’ slightly grump face as Arlo’s boasting gets a little too much. Arlo & Pips: King of the Birds is a great little graphic chapter book, and the first in a new early reader series for children ages 4–7.

Dani Solomon is the assistant manager at Readings Kids.