Oscar, a bespectacled, round-bodied, long-legged bird with cartoonishly big eyes, is desperate to keep love away. He feels it coming on, so he makes preparations, putting up “No trespassing” signage and donning protective armor and camouflage. Finally, he gets a ferocious guard dog—a fuzzy little brown pup named Brutus. Brow furrowed, Brutus barks, growls, and chases off interlopers, but slowly, after treats and games of fetch, the two form a bond. Just when Oscar feels certain love won’t find him, Brutus disappears, and there’s no one to protect him from love. When the pair are finally—and lovingly—reunited, Oscar realizes he never had anything to worry about; love was a goal worth attaining. Kousky has populated his forest setting with adorable squirrels trying their best to love Oscar. Sweet scenes depict bird and pup snuggled up in bed clad in matching nightcaps, taking a dip in the duck pond together—in short, loving each other. Kousky’s muted mixed-media illustrations portray a forest full of trees with textured bark, dotted with red berries under a brush of watercolor-esque sky. The author/illustrator authentically captures the slow build of love and friendship between resistant Oscar and gruff-looking but ultimately sweet Brutus. The pacing, tight storytelling, and well-matched illustrations make this a worthy read-aloud.
