Rufus & Bea: You Don't Have to Sing by Ryan Cummins (review)

Reviewed by: Rufus by Ryan Cummins and Lisa Cummins; illus. by Hannah Pascoe. Flashpoint, 2024 32p Trade ed. ISBN 9781959411581 17. 95 E-book ed. ISBN 9781959411598 9. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 3-6 yrs Bea the bee is thrilled that her pal Rufus Nightingale can't sing or fly—she thinks that learning is just as exciting as doing, so she takes Rufus under her wing, determined to use the power of friendship to help the nervous bird learn how to be his best self. After just a little convincing from Bea, Rufus ends up having so much fun singing with her that he doesn't even realize that he's also flying. Could Rufus End Page 356 have learned his new skills alone? Perhaps, but "sometimes things are easier with the help of a friend. " This straightforward and silly story is well matched by Pascoe's pen-and-watercolor illustrations of rolling pastel hills, vibrant flowers, and soft blue skies. Rufus' face displays a range of relatable emotions, and kazoo-playing Bea is delightfully fuzzy as she shoots energetically around the pages. Rhyming narration and uncomplicated wordplay ensure a lively storytime, and kiddos will giggle almost as hard as Bea does when an adult is forced to copy Rufus' "LA LA LAAA LAAA LAAAAA SCREEEEECH!" Bring this one out to remind young ones that you don't have to be good at something to have fun doing it. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois