Naughty Blue Jay and Woodpecker are getting a little bored sitting around in the aviary all day. Trying to find good food is hard and finding something fun to do can be worse. They’re determined to have a new adventure and that means getting out of their boring old aviary. But is being out on their own going to be as much fun as they thought? After all, the big world outside is completely new to them and there are a lot of different creatures out there that they’ve never seen before. Plus, they don’t have their friends and loved ones out there with them to help along the way. They’re going to be left all on their own this time.

The main characters in The Escape: Naughty Blue Jay and Woodpecker by Carolee Wells Henney are a lot like the little children that will love this book. They want to have adventures and try new things, but they’re not really sure what those new things should be. These characters are looking for something completely new, just like small children who tend to get bored with the same old toys quite quickly. What they find is that things aren’t always what you expect and not everyone is out to help you. This is a cute book for children and it’s a good one that adults won’t mind reading more than once. Not too long for bedtime reading, this is a book that will help teach your children a valuable lesson about being happy with what they have.

As I tend to do when I read any children’s book, I read The Escape: Naughty Bluejay and Woodpecker by author Carolee Wells Henney with my young son - one, because he loves reading and being read to; and two, because I truly appreciate his opinion in rating books geared toward people his age. What we found together was a sweet, delightful story about two adventurous birds, Bluejay and Woodpecker, who have lived their whole lives in the safety and security of a bird aviary. When they escape one day after a cranky boy holds the door to the aviary open long enough for them to sneak out, they find that life on the ‘outside’ is perhaps not what they had hoped, and they work to get back to their friends and their home.

Carolee Wells Henney’s lovely story is a great bedtime read, and one that opens up discussion amongst children and parents about the differences between animals in the wild and those in captivity. My eight-year-old son enjoyed The Escape: Naughty Bluejay and Woodpecker, and asked if there were any other available books by this author, a very high compliment. The only criticism I have is that the book is a bit wordy for the storyline, but it is still a charming read and a great length to be read all in one sitting with a young child. The book is unique in that its wonderful illustrations are all in black and white, which the author explains was done for the purpose of allowing a child to color in the pictures on their own. I am very pleased to recommend Carolee Wells Henney’s The Escape: Naughty Bluejay and Woodpecker to any reader who enjoys reading a pleasant bedtime story with their child, or for any child who loves to read.