Bibi by Jo Weaver

Bibi by Jo Weaver. Peachtree, c2022, 2023. 9781682635537
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4
Format: Hardcover picture book
What did you like about the book? Bibi is an adult flamingo who acts as the matriarch of a large group of flamingos. She watches out for any young chicks who may be slow or impaired in any way.  When all the water where the flamingos are living dries up, the adult birds can fly on to find a new place of water but the young chicks cannot fly yet.  Bibi leads them all as they walk to meet their families.  One little chick cannot go on causing Bibi to stop and let them all rest.  When they are able to continue the little one stays with Bibi until they finally reach their families by the new lake.  Bibi was exhausted, going away by herself to rest.  When it was again time to leave, Bibi could not so the other birds stayed and cared for her until she was well enough to fly with them. The illustrations, rendered in charcoal and digitally colored, are done in shades of pink and grey.  The shadowing of the large flocks on the mirror of the water is particularly striking.
Weaver informs in the back matter that flocks of flamingos do indeed migrate from all over East Africa to build nests on the salt islands in the middle of Lake Natron in Tanzania. “A few adult birds do stay behind to lead chicks by foot over twenty to thirty miles of hostile salt desert to the safety of fresh water and their parents”.
Anything you did not like about the book? No.
To whom would you recommend this book? Children interested in nature, particularly birds, will enjoy learning about the life of flamingos. Other nature books by Weaver include Little Tigers , Little Whale and Narwhal: The Arctic Unicorn .
Who should buy this book? Public libraries and K-2 classrooms
Where would you shelve it? Picture books
Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles?  No.
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Retired Librarian, Contributor, Youth Services Book Review
Date of Review: August 19, 2023