Shh! We Have a Plan

In a gorgeous nocturnal landscape of deep purples and blues, four figures go marching along. ... They tiptoe towards the bird with hilariously expressive body language... In a breathtakingly rich spread, a flock of colorful, jewel-toned birds appear and drive the schemers into retreat. ... A masterful delight, this crafty caper has huge kid appeal and a title/refrain that will easily sneak into the family lexicon: shh! We have a plan. This perfect blend of circular narrative, deceptively spare art, and humor becomes a story that kids will want to read at storytime, at home, and to themselves if no adult is handy.--School Library Journal (starred review) There's a bouncy staccato music in the carefully structured text, and listeners will quickly anticipate the patterns and helpfully join in on the repetitions as they root for the little guy who knows better than the big fools. Haugen's art is original yet easily legible... The temptation to act this out will be almost irresistible, so channel the impulse into an organized (or even semi-organized) performance.--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review) With cover art recalling Ungerer's The Three Robbers and the wry sensibility of Klassen's Hat books, this is a natural choice for any storytime. A spare, humorous text pairs with blocky, digital illustrations to tell the story... Plan on repeated readings.--Horn Book (starred review) Big, blocky shapes and intense hues make the action simple to follow, and Haughton's text is similarly telegraphic. ... The delicious stupidity of the hunting trio, the purity of heart of their small companion, and the sweet-tempered drama of each page turn make this a classic exercise in picture-book making.--Publishers Weekly Haughton's stylish digital illustrations in chunky patches of color make masterful use of hue and contrast--the jazzy warm-toned birds are vibrant when set against the crepuscular blues of the friends and the woods. With only a few words total, a repeated refrain, and a visually unmistakable plot, this is a great choice for emergent readers or a group storytime.--Booklist Online A peace-waging parable, presented with wry minimalism a la Jon Klassen or Tomi Ungerer. ... Haughton uses a palette of deep blues and purples for his simple forest scenes; this causes the hunters' googly eyes to stand out comically and also makes the fuchsia, red and orange birds easy to spot and follow. Last seen creeping up on a squirrel, the hunters have plainly learned nothing from their experience...but young readers might. Sure to net young audiences, who will definitely root for the birds.--Kirkus Reviews It's one of the best picture books of the year.--Travis Jonker, 100 Scope Notes This slapstick adventure (rendered in brilliantly saturated colors) demonstrates that if the best laid plans often go awry, then poorly laid plans don't stand a chance.--Huffington Post