Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon, by Sandra Nickel/Illustrated by Aimée Sicuro, (May 2025, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536235197
Ages 4-8
Seven, named because seven is considered a lucky name among pigeons, isn’t like the other pigeons. Most pigeons “arrive in twos”, but with Seven’s birth, there was only one. That alone set tongues a-wagging, but Seven is different in many other ways: he lets his sense guide him, leading him to craft nests of flower petals and being sidetracked by the delicious scents of a bustling French city. The other pigeons fret that he “he doesn’t nest. He doesn’t flock. And remember, there was only one”, but when the entire flock gets lost in a fog and starts to panic, it’s Seven and his wonderful sense of smell that guides him – and his flock – back to safety. A gentle story about navigating the world a little differently, Nickel’s storytelling is pairs wonderfully with Sicuro’s watercolor, goauche, and ink illustrations to tell a story that’s a feast for the senses. Pastel swirls entice Seven’s nose and transport readers to bustling city streets; expressive characters invoke pathos for Seven and will have readers cheering for him by the story’s close. I read this out loud to my storytime group last week and received a great response. An author’s note about pigeons makes up the back matter. Seven celebrates divergence and is an excellent purchase for social-emotional collections.
Mom Read It 