Red's Nest

RED'S NEST is a story about the unexpected choice to foster.

The storyline is brimming with compassion and woven together with humor.

Red and Olive are about to start a family of their own. While searching for twigs for their nest, Red unexpectedly finds three baby forest animals who are lost and afraid. Red decides to care for each animal in need. What will Olive say when she sees the new family members? And how will Red and Olive tackle the complexities of fostering, the biggest obstacle being how to fit the over-sized brood into their tiny nest?

"You might not look the part, but fostering is all about the heart." - Belinda Grimbeek

"A resourceful bird forms an unusual family in this picture book.

Red, a small woodland bird, dreams about having a family, "but first, he needed a good nest." Red builds a structure impressive enough to attract a mate, a green bird named Olive, who also wants to start a family. Olive sends Red on a mission to find a few more twigs for their nest. But he doesn't get far before discovering a baby bunny, a baby raccoon, and a baby bear who have all lost their parents. Red assures the mammals they can live with him and Olive, thinking they'll need a bigger nest. Grimbeek's mixed-media cartoon illustrations tell as much of the tale as her spare text, showing the solutions Red devises for the nest size problem until he, Olive, and the babies construct a perfect home. Stories of nontraditional families as inclusive as Red and Olive's are still a rare find in picture books. The author hits just the right note in sharing Olive's surprise at Red's adoptions: "Olive's eyes grew big, but her heart grew bigger." The immediate acceptance and love of both birds for the abandoned animals is uplifting, and Grimbeek's images reveal that Red leaves a note at each location in case the biological parents return. The sweet tale makes the most of the animals' different sizes and shapes in a way that's reminiscent of Jan Brett's The Mitten while telling a completely original story.

A heartwarming, inventive animal tale about making room for unexpected love." - KIRKUS