Albert and Lila

From Publishers Weekly In this warmhearted picture book, two farmyard outcasts take solace in their taboo friendship. Though the pigs and the chickens down on the farm are always polite to each other, they would never dream of socializing. That's why the henhouse really starts clucking when Lila, a chicken, cottons to Albert, a pig. The two pals couldn't be more different on the outside, but they come from similar circumstances: Lila has been ostracized because she can no longer lay eggs; Albert suffers ridicule because he's albino. When the two kindred spirits team up, there's no limit to what they can do-even if it's saving their tormentors from a wily fox. Schami's pleasant tone and gentle pace envelop a message about tolerance and shattering stereotypes. In boisterous scenes befitting the story's barnyard setting, Cools and Streich (previously teamed with Schami for Fatima and the Dream Thief) introduce perky pink porkers and a fancifully colored flock of chickens. Their compositions range from tall and dramatic portraits that make good use of the oversize pages to smaller horizontal panels or blocks, and employ the shades of a sunny blue summer sky, a pungent brown dung heap and purplish moonlit shadows. The story's tidy, familiar conclusion will leave few readers guessing, but Schami's positive theme is one that bears repeating. Ages 5-8. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 2-The chickens and pigs who live together on a farm maintain polite if distant relations-except for two outcasts: Lila, kicked out of the henhouse because of her age, and Albert, discriminated against by his pink brethren because he is white. They become friends, laughing and playing in the daytime, gazing into the heavens at night. On one of their evening vigils, they spot a fox, and their quick thinking and actions save the chickens. Each one becomes a hero, and the reserve between the two groups is broken down. Whimsical, attractive watercolor illustrations, heavy in blues, pinks, orange, and reddish-brown, are arranged in a variety of pleasing layouts. The story line isn't new, but the tale is pleasantly told and should make a good read-aloud.