Rescuing Mrs. Birdley

by Aaron Reynolds, Emma Reynolds (Contributor)

In this wildly charming and fantastically imaginative story by the New York Times bestselling author of Creepy Carrots and Creepy Pair of Underwear , a young animal expert knows just what to do when she spots her teacher in the wild.

Miranda is an animal expert. Or at least, she watches a lot of Nature Joe. Nature Joe is incredible. He rescues animals, returning them to their natural habitat.

Mrs. Birdley is a teacher. The natural habitat of a teacher is a classroom.

So when Mrs. Birdley escapes school and ends up wild, loose, and confused at the local grocery store, Miranda knows just what to she must use her brain, her guts, and her extensive knowledge of Nature Joe to rescue Mrs. Birdley—at any cost!

This delightfully over-the-top picture book by newcomer Emma Reynolds explores the weirdness of seeing a teacher outside of school and will have young readers laughing out loud every time they read.

Genres: Picture Books, Humor, School, Childrens, Teachers, Adventure, Storytime

40 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2020

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Aaron Reynolds is a New York Times Bestselling Author of many highly acclaimed books for kids, including Dude!, Creepy Carrots!, Creepy Pair of Underwear!, Nerdy Birdy, and tons more. He frequently visits schools and his highly participatory presentations are a blast for kids and teachers alike. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife, two kids, four cats, and between three and ten fish, depending on the day.

(source: Amazon)

Reviews

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5. Not a first purchase for me or a class read aloud. I know it’s imaginative but the trap and capture unnerves me.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope!

Whenever I visit a school or a center, or when a school or a group visits us here at the library, I tell that that I. do. not. live. at. the. library. Oh! The Shock! I tell them that I live in a house, with my family and cats (yes, I know, stereotypical *shrug*), and I go shopping, and to church, and to the movies, and to all sorts of places, so if they see me out & about at Target or at the Farmer's Market or wherever, they should come up to me and say "hi" and tell me about them! Some kids have done this, especially before Covid, and I have had surprise hug attacks in the middle of an aisle and other kids have frantically waved at me and yelled, "Hi Story Lady!" (safely) from 7 feet away and others have held whispered conversations with family members as I have been browsing nearby, "I think that's her! No, that's not her. Yeah, that's her! That isn't her. Is IS her. What is she doing HERE?!"

The life of a library/story lady.

When you read this book with your children, please remind them that this is silly and not real. *cue slightly hysterical laughter from over here as I visualize a small child "rescuing" me* It's been a day, y'all. My imagination is large and vivid, and so is your children's! Happy reading.

[Ana G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is adorable. I want several sequels ;). Art is delightful, and the story had all the adults giggling.

EDIT: Goodness, I didn't realize this was a brand-new book! In that case I'm going for a slightly more detailed review, so other folks can buy and love this ;). I got this book for 3.5-year-old niece, and she's now made a little plushy zoo and rolling around her toy giraffe in a salad bowl, to return it to its natural habitat. (Also, this has made her want blueberry yogurt, which feels like a win). It's been a delightful read, and quickly became a favorite.

[Margo Glynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've read anything by Aaron Reynolds, you know to prepare yourself to be amazed. As a children's librarian, I read hundreds of picture books a year. Most of them are fine, but forgettable. Not this one. Not Carnivores. Not Nerdy Birdy. Certainly not Creepy Carrots. Aaron Reynolds is on my permanent must-buy list, and I'm never disappointed.

[Lily Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book for the classroom! My students love it.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for School Library Journal, May 2020.

PreS-Gr 1–-Miranda Montgomery considers herself an animal expert—after all, she is a devotee of the “Nature Joe Animal Show” and has studied his techniques in detail. If there is one thing she has learned, it’s that animals should always live in their natural habitat. Imagine Miranda’s surprise and glee when she discovers one such animal outside its regular environment. Mrs. Birdley, Miranda’s teacher, is at the grocery store when she clearly belongs in her classroom. Miranda is all systems go and after a few botched and very humorous capture attempts, she is able to secure Mrs. Birdley in a trash can and roll her back to school. Miranda then proceeds to lock her teacher in a classroom. However, there is no rest for young Miranda because the very next day she spies her principal at the hardware store. Well, what’s an animal expert to do?
VERDICT: Reynolds, award-winning author of Creepy Carrots!, has delivered another gem and children will relish Miranda’s outrageous traps and the poor unsuspecting adults who are snared in them. A definite purchase for all children’s collections and an easy choice for a read-aloud.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Miranda Montgomery, animal expert, and faithful fan of the Nature Joe Animal show, spots her teacher Mrs. Birdsong at the grocery store, she knew she had to capture her, and return her to her natural habitat. Silly fun follows as Miranda uses all of the skills she learned from watching her favorite show.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pure nonsense. First, do kids today seriously think teachers aren't people? Second, what happened to the poor deli guy? And a jackhammer? I'm sorry, I like a lot of silly, but this just grates, and would have done so when I was a kid, too.

[Chelsea Bashore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so adorable, using this for inferences this week.

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you see your teacher in public... clearly they are out of their natural habitat and need to be brought back!

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

While on an outing with her mother, Miranda makes a shocking discover - her teacher, Mrs. Birdley, has escaped from the school and is now loose in the supermarket. As a long-time fan of Nature Joes’ animal show, she of course knows what she has to do - return Mrs. Birdley back to her classroom habitat!

~*~*~*~*~

This was a really cute story, playing off of what seems to be a common idea among children (or at least a trope) - that their teachers not only work at, but are residents of their school. I guess it could be used to discuss animal habitats to younger classes, as well - Miranda believes Mrs. Birdley lives at the school. What is their own habitat? Mostly, though, it’s just a funny story. :)

I liked the bright, cheerful illustration style. I thought the very active storyline was well represented in the art, as Miranda attempts to trap Mrs. Birdley.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this kids style.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

The creep factor is off the charts in this animal-rescue cum kid-nap caper. Why does this aggressive child view her teacher as an animal? Is she psychotic? And why is she so sure that her teacher “would be much happier back in her natural habitat,” to be locked up “safe and sound in her classroom all weekend” with no food or water or proper medical care after “being shaken up from her little adventure”? Is she a sociopath? Either way, Miranda Montgomery is definitely no Nature Joe! In an age when teachers (and students) face so many threat sources, this story seems to be completely inappropriate on so many levels in its attempt to be humorous. Why couldn’t Miranda rescue actual animals, such as neighborhood strays, and do some actual good like her hero, Nature Joe?

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fans of reality-nature TV shows will enjoy this, as it follows the script of a TV show to the letter. It's rather disturbing, like Reynolds' other works if you look too deeply (homicide theme in Creepy Carrots, and intimidation in Underwear- this one is a kidnapping theme.) I wonder if it's healthy for children to have these themes humorized and Disney-fied. I know, I've read all about the Grimm Brother's works and how they teach real-life lessons through story, but this makes abuse funny and I'm not sure it wouldn't work against the psyche of the child to hear cruelty presented as humor. Maybe I'm too serious. Read it yourself and decide.

[Kristin Guay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a former children’s librarian and both of my parents were teachers, so you can only imagine how many times in my life I have seen children confused by someone who is out of their element. That is why this story had me completely cracking up the entire time I was reading it! In this story we meet a young girl named Miranda who claims to be an animal expert. She watches the Nature Joe Animal Show every day and she has learned how to recognize an animal that is lost, the best way to trap an animal, and how to transport an animal back to its appropriate habitat. So just imagine her reaction when she sees her teacher, Mrs. Birdley, in the grocery. Miranda knows she is not in her habitat and will do anything to save her. There are several missed attempts, but Miranda is able to “capture” Mrs. Birdley and safely return her to the school--all locked up and secure for the weekend. Now she feels her job is done--that is, until she sees Principle Canklestout in the hardware store. Fortunately, Miranda knows exactly what to do!

The illustrations provided by Emma Reynolds are hilarious! The entire time Miranda is trying to trap Mrs. Birdley the reader can see her creating some elaborate traps and Mrs. Birdley almost gets caught--she steps right over a huge hole in the ground and turns just in time to avoid a net. Kids will get a kick out of seeing these funny illustrations--and the store worker who is not as lucky in avoiding the traps.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor, innocent Mrs. Birdley is grocery shopping when her overly enthused student spots her. The hunt is on to put Mrs. Birdley back into her natural environment--the classroom at school. Her pupil stocks her, traps her, and locks her in. Thinking all the while that she is doing the right thing and that Mrs. Birdley will be pleased. She isn't. We strongly suspect that her next target, the principal, isn't going to be grateful either.

Bright, lively illustrations give this story an active, vibrant feel of the urban jungle. The innocence of the little girl and her application of knowledge garnered from her favorite nature shows make this a funny, fantastic, and charming story. It's a perfect book to instigate a discussion on the differences between real life and reality television and how a person might act in the wild vs. how we should act when in a more civilized environment. This is a book that every age will chuckle through.

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

Young Miranda Montgomery loves the Nature Joe Animal Show. Every day, she watches Nature Joe rescue hurt animals and return lost animals to their natural habitats. When Miranda visits the grocery store, she finds something very grave--her teacher! Obviously, her teacher has escaped her natural habitat (their classroom), and it is up to Miranda to use all of the skills she has learned from Nature Joe to safely bring her teacher home.

This was so much fun! Taking the "Where do teachers live?" question to a whole new level with young Miranda's very logical comparison of her teacher to a wild animal escaped from its natural habitat. Miranda sets traps and does her best to safely and carefully place her teacher where she will be safe. A fun storytime read when visiting an elementary school classroom.

[Abby Johnson]

In this wildly adorable and funny picture book, Miranda spies her teacher at the grocery store and she knows she has to do something. Mrs. Birdley has gotten lost from her natural habitat and must be returned to school! Luckily, Miranda, an avid fan of the Nature Joe Animal Show, has been preparing for this her entire life. Miranda uses bait and sets traps and finally is able to get Mrs. Birdley safely back to her classroom. But the next day, she spies the school principal at the home improvement store...

This is a funny take on a school story that young readers will identify with: it's so strange to see your teacher somewhere not at school! This would make a fantastic readaloud for the school-age set. Huzzah.

[Samantha Mairson-Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

First impressions: charming characters, vibrant colors. Miranda Montgomery smacks of real life kid. She watches the Nature Joe show which teaches her about rescuing animals and returning them to their habitat. The plot of this children’s book is hilarious as Miranda attempts to rescue her teacher from the grocery store and return her to her “natural habitat”. The page spreads are clever and full of suspense. We learn that Mrs. Birdley loves blueberry yogurt. Did I mention the narrator is hilarious? “... Mrs. Birdley couldn’t resist the scent of fruity low-calorie goodness”. Flying hair, garbage cans, and big smiles - oh no! Miranda Montgomery! You are the modern Amelia Bedelia.

[Efox · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is fun - especially if you have kids who a) watch animal shows and b) have had the experience of seeing their teacher in a place they normally wouldn't see their teacher. The illustrations are really cute, but I don't love it nearly as much as Creepy Carrots! and Creepy Pair of Underwear! (which are like ALL TIME FAVORITE 6 star style books at our house).

[Dallin Christensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book, but I was disappointed and Dallin didn't really seem to get into it either. I thought that this was going to be a cute story about a little girl trying to trap her teacher to take her back to her "natural habitat" aka her classroom, only to discover that teachers (unlike animals) do not have to permamently reside in their classrooms. But the end of the book is jarring because she not only doesn't realize this, she locks her teacher away for the weekend in her classroom and then goes on to try and trap her school principal for the same reason. I know it's meant to be silly and funny, but Dallin didn't really understand it so it fell flat.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a seriously funny book. I think all kids who have seen their teacher outside of school will relate to that feeling of surprise and confusing. Clearly they are not in the right place!? Miranda, the heroine of this tale, is a nature expert and she knows just what to do. Following the tactics she has learned from her favorite nature show, she attempts to capture and return her teacher to her nature habitat, the classroom. Outrageous in concept and execution, this is sure to be a read aloud favorite.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this one would make a fun readaloud to a class. They could brainstorm traps for their teacher (principal, librarian, etc.) and other enticements to capture them and return them to their natural habitat. For that matter, what is a natural habitat? Is the classroom really where the teacher belongs or is it the classroom that is more like the zoo?

Basically, this takes that weird notion that teachers “live” at school and pushes it to an extreme.

The illustrations are round and gently colored, making good use of “natural” colors and shapes. Miranda, the teacher rescuer, is full of exuberance, perseverance, and a can-do attitude.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miranda watches nature specials and knows all about species belonging in their natural habitats. Hilarity ensues when she spots her teacher, Mr.s Birdley, at the store. She shows readers the various methods she has learned to capture this specimen and return her to the school where she belongs. After successfully completing this task, she spies her principal and the story ends. Reynolds writes with terrific understanding of the elementary level reader. The illustrations capture the adventure and character expressions and pull readers in to be part of the story.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Miranda sees her teacher in the grocery store, she knows exactly what to do. She's been an avid watcher of a nature show that taught her how to catch escaped animals and return them to their natural habitats. It takes several tries, but finally Miranda successfully traps her teacher and returns her to her classroom, just in time for the weekend.

Children will laugh uproariously at Miranda's attempts to trap her teacher. A great storytime addition.

[Rudolph Ronswik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those picture books you don't forget after reading them. This book is about a girl who sees a teacher in a grocery store, and that's not where teachers live, so she goes full Steve Irwin and tries to capture her and return her to her natural habitat.

I do worry that, since animal programs aren't as popular now as they were when I was younger, that kids might not attach to this the way I do.

[Raquel Pilar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miranda knows everything about Nature Joe, a TV program that shows an expert taking wild animals back to their natural habitats.
Then, when the girl sees Mrs. Birdley, her teacher, at the grocery store, she decides the poor woman needs to be back to the place she was born to live: the school. And that is when Miranda uses different techniques to "help" the teacher to be back to her habitat.
Hilarious story that gives every teacher nightmares!

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A child rescues her teacher from the grocery store back to her natural habitat in the classroom. Finally traps her back in her natural habitat classroom with blueberry yogurt. Miranda tries catching her again with a garbage can and she squeals all the way back to school. Keeps her in the classroom all weekend until she spots the principal in the home improvement store and devises a trap to get him back to school.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember the very first time you realized your teacher didn't live at the school and actually had to use the bathroom once in a while? A little girl becomes overzealous in her attempts to get her teacher back to her "natural habitat" when she runs in to her at the store. A cute, funny story that children will definitely relate to!