Perfect Pigeons

Katherine Battersby’s Perfect Pigeons asks the question, “What does it mean to be perfect?’ It explores what it means to be unique and the desire to do what we want as opposed to the desire to conform. It’s a fun and sweet story about fitting in and choosing to go against the grain.

The story’s main character is a cute pigeon wearing a pair of round red glasses (in contrast to the rest of the pigeons who are unadorned). The narrative plays out just as you might expect. The pigeon with glasses is perceived to be different by the other pigeons. The other pigeons explain why it’s better to be the same. The bespectacled pigeon explains that it does what it likes. The other pigeons give examples of things that they would like to do if they were different to prove a point, one which backfires. The pigeons all decide it is better to be unique. This is all well-worn territory for children’s books. What I did appreciate was the end of the book. After all the pigeons have decided to be “unique together”, instead of assimilating and becoming part of the group, the pigeon with glasses politely declines, explaining that it is happy just being itself. This adds a nice spin on non-conformity and will likely be appreciated by kids who are more introverted or who see themselves as outsiders.

The illustrations are done with pencils, watercolour, and digitally. The pigeons, though they have only two small eyes and a beak, are surprisingly expressive (aided by the occasional addition of a pair of eyebrows here and there). Though they are all the same, there is a slight variance in the coloured bands around their necks, some being yellow, some orange, and some pinkish. Some observant children who are sticklers for details may point out that these pigeons are not exactly the same, an observation which could open up conversations about the different ways people (or pigeons) can be “the same”. Backgrounds are uncluttered, often featuring one solid colour that helps the pigeons and the text stand out.

The text, itself, is very simple. Many two-page spreads feature only five words, and these spreads never go over two or three lines. The language is relatively simple and straightforward. This wouldn’t be my first choice to give to a beginning reader because of a few tricky words (like knitter), but it could be a good book for newer readers who are getting more independent. The simple language means that, though this book could be read and enjoyed by those in elementary school, it could also be understood by young children. Perfect Pigeons would make a good book for storytime or for starting a class or preschool discussion. Many teachers and librarians will also likely take enjoyment from the final spread which shows the pigeon with glasses (and, in this case, a party hat and cape) reading a book on top of what one might assume is one of the New York Public Library’s famous lion statues.

What I appreciate about Perfect Pigeons is that it doesn’t try to be something it’s not. There are times when a picture book will knock you over the head with its message, despite ostensibly being about something else. Battersby doesn’t go in for that. This is a “what you see is what you get” picture book, done well, with the slightest twist on what the reader might expect. It’s all about the lesson, and it manages to infuse some fun and silliness along the way which elevates the book and keeps it from feeling dull.

While it’s not ground-breaking or completely unique by the standards of picture books, Perfect Pigeons takes after its own main character, finding its own way to do things. Children will enjoy the silly fun and straightforward narrative in this picture book that is easy to understand. It will likely serve many teachers and parents alike who are looking for jumping-off points to talk about individuality. Recommended for most public and school libraries with strong picture book collections.