Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind

by Monica Silvie, Elina Ellis (Illustrator)

A flying masked bandit (code name: Chickadee) discovers he isn't quite who he thinks he is in this fresh and delightful tale about discovering one's true nature.

Meet Chickadee. Criminal. Rapscallion. All-around bad seed. Sure, he started out obeying the rules, following his parents' advice about finding things to eat and staying away from houses. But then . . . winter arrives. And it's so much harder to find food in winter! So when Chickadee spies a "vault" full of "gold" near a house by the park (Wait, wasn't there something to remember about houses?), he cleverly devises a plan to snatch the "vault full of treasure" without getting caught! He is the King of Thieves! Only, hmm, the humans near the vault seem to want him to visit. Maybe Chickadee's not a criminal after all?

Monica Silvie's fun first-person storytelling will have readers falling in love with this cheeky and enormously appealing bird and his endearingly misinformed self-perception. Chickadee's growing understanding that he's not actually a criminal, and that what he really wants is a friend, adds a lovely poignancy to the humor. Elina Ellis's charming, hilarious illustrations bring the adorable Chickadee to life; the way he looks directly at readers with wide-eyed sincerity while he speaks to them is particularly effective. A spread at the back contains facts about black-capped chickadees—illustrated with comments from Chickadee himself—along with further reading and sources, making this both a terrific picture book read-aloud and a great supplement to life science lessons on characteristics and habitats of animals. With such a seamless blend of entertainment and information, learning has never been so much fun!

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Birds, Humor, Nature, Childrens, Fiction

36 pages, Hardcover

First published June 7, 2022

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a long and happy childhood, I finally left the nest on my sixteenth day.

This new picture book is a heartwarming and humorous look at the Black-capped Chickadee. Our narrator leaves the nest and enjoys life on its own until the winter winds blow. Even though its mother had warned her little one not to go near houses, the gold mine in the birdfeeder is impossible to resist. Follow along as our chickadee soon realizes the food was there for him all along. Perhaps he isn't such a rapscallion after all. Includes some great chickadee facts and beautiful, colorful illustrations.

Thank you to Kids Can Press and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun and hilarious read! And the content is just too cute to handle!

The artwork is amazing. And we get to learn a lot about chickadees in a fun, engaging way.

Thank you, Kids Can Press, for the advance reading copy.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I cannot wait to read it to my younger son.

It’s interesting enough that I even think my older son who is 11 years old may like it especially because in the back there interesting facts about chickadees.

It’s a really cute story but I could see teachers reading in classrooms to teach children about their environment in a cute way.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun picture book that my granddaughter loved. She learned about chickadees at school this year, so she loved this criminal mastermind. Chickadee narrates his own story about leaving the nest and living on his own. When winter arrives, he is in trouble. His mother had warned him to stay away from the houses and the humans, but he finds a vault full of food. The vault (aka birdfeeder) is to tempting to resist, so he becomes a criminal to sneak in and eat. He soon discovers that he is not a criminal after all and the food is there for the taking. The illustrations are wonderful and certainly added to her enjoyment of the story. There were a lot of other animals depicted that we talked about as well. She thought it was a fun story and one that we should read again. The back of the book includes some great chickadee facts and beautiful, colorful images. Another book that I recommend, especially to kindergarten or early primary classes when doing a unit on animals and winter, as well as how we can help them.

[Lauren Gibson (rocknreader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable story! It reminds me of the Scaredy Squirrel series. It's about a bird who thinks he is a robber because he takes food from a bird feeder. The story shows how the feeder was put there fore him to help him eat in the winter when food is scarce. I liked how at the end they explained facts about birds. The story had great illustration which I think would help younger kids be able to pay attention. My toddler loved it as we have a bird feeder out back that he always makes sure is full of food for his bird friends. Cute story!

Thanks NetGalley and Kids Can Press for access to this ARC.

[MookNana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so cute! Not only is it a fun science lesson about chickadees, but it also has a nice message about how we see ourselves. Chickadee has the idea he's "bad" but he may need a new perspective. Additionally, there is lots of expressive language that will build vocabularies and help kids develop their storytelling skills.

The art is adorable and interprets the story well. Kids will enjoy following the action and identifying all the different animals. This would be a good circle-time read, but would also do well as a one-on-one read to prompt discussion or learning about backyard birds. This would be a lovely addition to school and classroom libraries!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[OpenedBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic little read. I even learned something new about Chickadees and will from now on look at them with different eyes. They are indeed extraordinary birds. So, it isn’t a surprise that Monica Silvie wanted to share a special story about one of them.

Chickadee Criminal Mastermind was very funny and made me smile. And the extra titbits at the end were educational and fascinating. The illustrations from Elina Ellis made the story even funnier.

I loved everything about this book, and I recommend it to all bird-loving and fun-loving, curious little masterminds.

Thank you to Kids Can Press @kidscanpress and NetGalley @netgalley for the digital ARC version of this soon-to-be-published book.

[Lannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very in the vein of the popular and successful “The Bad Seed” by Jory Johns. The one thing that is different in this book is that it injects a bit of zoological facts about the bird species for the animal-loving readers. Cheeky little book that is less heavy than Johns’ “The Bad Seed,” a more lighthearted message of not judging ourselves (or others) based on how we look and what we believe to be innate or genetic.

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nominated for the 2024 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award, Chickadee Criminal Mastermind is guilty of being cute. Kids will recognize this bird and its call. The back matter is full of interesting facts and had a list of resources.

[Jessica Calaway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age 4-8

[Y.Poston]

very cute birdie book

[Jacquelyn Covington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind by Monica Silvie

Quick Thoughts: 5/5 Stars
I read this one with my 5 year old daughter who is in her beginning phases of reading. Both of us loved the adventures of this 'criminal' chickadee and the beautiful illustrations that went along with it. Along with the entertaining story, the sound bubbles and font type of the words made this a fun one to read along with children.

The Set Up:
Chickadee was raised to follow all the rules but when they go out on their own, they find that following the rules is easier said than done....especially when hunger is a factor! This leads Chickadee to a life of 'crime' as they break the golden rule their parents set for them.

Great for children just starting to read or who are reading on their own. Also, my daughter and I loved the fun facts provided at the end of the book. They were really informative while keeping her entertained and laughing.

Thanks to the publisher, Kids Can Press and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley/publisher in exchange of an honest review.


I just couldn’t resist that cover + I was very curious about what our little bird that makes him think he is a hardened criminal!

Meet Chikadee! A bird who has just flown out of his parents nest and is still thinking about all their advice and rules. But yeah, parents didn’t tell Chickadee about THE WINTER. Aka, the time that it is much harder to find some delicious seeds and food on the ground and plants. I had such a laugh when he discovered something near the houses he wasn’t supposed to go to (though he totally forgot, oh silly Chickadee), but that changed his life and also was the cause of why he thinks he is a hardened criminal. I just wanted to step into the story and tell him that it is OK. That it wasn’t stealing. That he wasn’t doing anything wrong. That we humans are there for the wildlife in the harsh winter! I love how as the story continued Chickadee found that out for himself! I was so happy for him and I hope that next year he makes even better use of the yummy food laid out for him and his friends.

Oh, and I loved how he was telling this tale of woe and danger to a group of forest animals who were all listening eagerly to his tale! And I loved it even more when the story ended and what happened there! Yay!

The illustrations were just the cutest and they also make things even more funny! I love the style~

I loved that at the end we get some information about these birds, black-capped chickadees, I may have just heard about them, but I don’t know much about them and they aren’t in my country. So I learned a lot of new facts! And I love it~

All in all, this was just such a fun and cute picture book and I would recommend it!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Chloe Ritchie]

This story follows a bird called Chickadee, who takes us on his adventures as a thief.

This story is so, so flipping cute! I absolutely adored the character of Chickadee, they're child-like, funny, and so, so adorable. The writing was enjoyable, easy-to-read, and allowed me to really connect to the character that is Chickadee. The illustrations are stunning, and so lovely.

I would highly, highly recommend this story for parents, of children aged 6 and under. Or for teachers who would like to use the resources, and sources at the end of the book, to create some activities, for their pupils (I'll certainly be using this book within my own class).

Rated: 4.5 stars

Thank you to netgallery for allowing me to read this story, in exchange for an honest review.

[Annese · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 stars dedicated to the repeated use of the word rapscallion.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind is a delightful and immensely funny book by Monica Silvie! Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind tells the story of Chickadee, a Blackcapped Chickadee Bird. Chickadee learns from his parents never to steal food from houses when looking for food. When Chickadee sets out to live on his own, he can only find food in small houses. When Chickadee starts getting food from the small houses, he believes he is a criminal. Chickadee notices that humans come to visit him while he is stealing the food—and they seem happy! Chickadee then starts to question his life of crime.

Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind is a lighthearted, funny book that came along at the right time for me. I really enjoyed Monica Silvie’s writing and learning about an animal that I was unfamiliar with. I love how I was laughing through 90% of Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind! I love how beautifully illustrated Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind is and how all of the illustrations are spot on and match perfectly with the writing. I enjoyed the information and resources about the Blackcapped Chickadee Bird that is included in the back of the book. I think Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind would be perfect for a young classroom setting, especially if you are learning about animals. I also believe Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind is great for any type of story time setting. If you are looking for a lighthearted, funny, yet informative read for you and the kiddos in your life, then I highly recommend Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind by Monica Silvie!

Have you read Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind by Monica Silvie? What did the kids in your life think of the book?

I would like to thank NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My review is also on Goodreads and my blog, Leslie's Library Escape.

[Storytime With Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who's the baddest bird in town? Not sure if the chickadee would have been your first guess but in Monica Silvie’s debut picture book, Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind illustrated by Elina Ellis, readers will discover all about chickadee’s criminal past.

Chickadee was raised by loving parents and after 16 days heads off on his own. When the winter comes he discovers his penchant for theft and likens himself to the greatest thief in the forest. But is he truly a criminal?

Monica Silvie cleverly weaves non-fiction information about one of Canada’s most common birds, with a hilarious story of intrigue. Chickadee thinks he’s a thief after finding a vault of gold and stealthily taking that gold and hiding it in hundreds of different places. Readers will delight in all of the hilarious places the “gold” is hiding and I can just picture them joining in to let chickadee know that he is actually just taking seed from a bird feeder left there by humans.

Monica Silvie writes in a combination prose and comic style with chickadee and the children sharing their thoughts through speech bubbles and the tale chickadee is telling to the other animals in just regular test.

There is fantastic back matter in this book. There are two pages at the back filled with facts about the black-capped chickadee. She also provides readers with other books and websites to explore to learn more about wild birds. I would love to see this book used in an outdoor education setting since chickadees are also quite tame. It would be an excellent complement to an exploration and possible feeding of the chickadees, especially in the winter season.

The illustrations by Elina Ellis are spot on and add to the humorous tone of the tale. Big bold illustrations of chickadee in the forest complemented by the landscape and other animals entice readers to pick up this book time after time.

[Lorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chickadee thinks he is a criminal mastermind when he discovers a hoard of seed in winter. He steels it for his secret hiding places called caches all over the forest. He confesses his "badness" to all of his other animal admirers from a tree limb, but in the end he may have competition when a "spy" arrives on the limb.

The story is well done and laugh out loud funny and would make a great read aloud choice. It would work well in either a winter animal theme or birds. Both the text in the story and the supplemental information support fact-based learning about Chickadees in a fun way that doesn't seem like you are learning, but you are way. One fact I learned in the story is that Chickadees are on their own after about 16 days in the nest. I would love to know the "spy's" story!

The illustrations were created digitally, but with a high degree of sophistication that will appeal to children. Chickadee and his world have great detail and I love the anthropomorphic faces that show exactly how are creatures feel. The image of worm realizing that he is dinner is so funny.

I would highly recommend this picture book for purchase by school or public libraries.

This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.

[kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amusing tale about a chickadee who convinces himself that he’s a very sneaky bandit by stealing birdseed from a bird feeder, but then finds out the food has been put there for him all along. I love how expressive the chickadee is, he really brings the illustrations to life! The last few pages include many interesting facts about chickadees, including several that I had not heard before such as chickadees keep a stash of seed in various locations and can remember each place during the winter because their brain cells increase during that season, and then shrinks back down in the summer. I also did not know that they eat roadkill! Highly recommended for kids of all ages and every bird lover!

Many thanks to Kids Can Press and Net Galley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley @netgalley and Kids Can Press @kidscanpress for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I adore this book and will be recommending it for our local indie bookstore!

Chickadee is an unwittingly hilarious bird who shares his story about becoming a "criminal mastermind" and his methods for "stealing gold" from his target: a birdfeeder. The illustrations are charming and I especially loved the use of sequential images and comic elements for visual storytelling and to heighten the pacing and humor. Beautifully cohesive and expressive artwork. Plus, readers and educators will enjoy the chickadee facts and additional resources included at the end of the book.

Highly recommend, excited to purchase this book!

[Anthony Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about a bird who is a criminal. He grew up with his parents teaching him right from wrong and then when winter hits he is hungry and spots a vault full of seeds. He steals from it several times before he is spotted and finds out that it is a feeder. At this point he realizes he is not such a bad seed after all and simply wants a friend.

I like this book. It is cute and adorable and to see this cute little bird think that he is such a big bad criminal is so funny. Then when he finds out what it is he just flies right in and eats all he wants.

I think this book would be great in a classroom in a lesson about winter or birds. In the back it contains a couple pages of bird facts that would be great for a classroom.

[Christina Ensling · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind" is a humorous and informative introduction to the Black Capped Chickadee. Author Monica Silvie has written a clever pun-filled story that would definitely appear to elementary students and their grown-ups. This type of chickadee has markings that resemble a burglar's mask. Hence, this bird's decision to begin a life of crime, which consists of stealing gold from a vault, (really just seed from a neighborhood bird feeder.) Included at the end are some fascinating facts about chickadees. I plan to recommend this book to my colleague who runs our elementary school's Envirothon club.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some books for the young, when they concentrate on a bird like the black-capped chickadee, might only have an appeal in the territory of said birds. Not this. The bird is, well, not arrogant, but adamant that he is a master criminal, and is just in the process of gloating about how he manages to steal a certain thing from a certain place when the truth comes out. It's a lively, incidental look at the unreliable narrator, then, but more importantly it's a book that gives quite a lot of joyous character to the little bird. A strong four stars.

[Kelly Paradis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this and so did my three-year-old daughter! We have a couple of birdfeeders in our backyard that my daughter helps us refill and we watch the birds together. My kiddo's favorite part of the book is at the end where we meet another Chickadee named "Dee Dee". The story is adorable and the pictures are engaging, I think that this story would appeal to a wide age range.

Thank you to Kids Can Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book! It is about a little chickadee who leaves his nest and thinks he’s really stealth when he manages to rob a bird feeder! I love that it is a fictional story but has a lot of great information about birds! I could definitely see this book in my Grade 3 classroom and would highly recommend it for families and teachers of children approximately ages 4-9.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this fabulous book! I can’t wait to purchase a copy for my classroom library!

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind' by Monica Silvie with illustrations by Elina Ellis is a picture book about a thieving bird who is getting away with no actual crime.

Little Chickadee obeys his parents about avoiding houses until winter arrives. Then he discovers treasure in a bird feeder and starts plundering it. He feels pretty sneaky until he realizes the people are actually ok with this bandit taking food.

This was a really cute story and has really fun illustrations too. At the end of the book are some fun facts about chickadees.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute, funny, and educational book! I love these little masked seed-eating fiends, and this was an amusing story about the life of a little chickadee who thinks they are a criminal mastermind "stealing" seeds from a bird feeder. Cleverly, this book teaches readers facts about birds without them even knowing it because they are too busy enjoying the story. I was glad there was a section at the end with facts about chickadees because I didn't know they cached seeds for winter and thought the author just made that up!

[Kelly Knits · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really cute! A little chickadee bird thinks it is a rapscallion thief stealing gold and caching it away for the winter. Turns out, just using the birdfeeder to the delight of the children watching in the backyard. Has some great new vocabulary for kids.

Related lessons or activities:
research why birds "cache" for the winter. Ask students what they think is valuable that they would cache and why?
Make bird feeders for home or their school
Go bird watching in their community, try to identify birds, grab a photo for iNaturalist

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lifelong fan of wild birds, especially those in urban settings, IU'll readily admit that chickadees are among my favorites. I enjoyed this very much, and both the main text and back matter included multiple age-appropriate facts and insights to this widely known, easily identified species.
The main text does so through a fanciful first person narrative by chickadee, while the back matter provides several common questions with accessible, brief, spot-illustrated responses as wells some useful resources.

[Christine LaBatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Chickadee': Criminal Mastermind is a delightful children's book about the chickadee! It tells the story of the a chickadee who believes himself to be a criminal mastermind at stealing gold. The gold turns out to bird food from a feeder and learns that he is not alone in the animal world. It is a really cute story with beautiful illustrations! I also love the facts about chickadees at the end of the story.