I don't really know what to make of this book. Seems a little long to be a bedtime story (although at times it was making me sleepy). I love the idea behind the story, but I wasn't expecting such a religious aspect to it. I guess a good bedtime story for older Christian children? Overall cute but not what I was expecting.

This was such a sweet children's book! Paul tackles important themes in an appropriate manner for young ones while also holding their interest with beautiful, colorful illustrations. A treat for both children and the adults reading to them!

I tried picking this one up numerous times. I just could not get into it. I plugged along til about 40% and decided to dnf. Great concept.

So disappointed in this book. I wanted to read a nice happy book about evolution in order to teach kids. What I got was religion shoved down my throat just like every other book. I did not expect to find it in this children's book. So please do not be deceived by this book. If you are not a fan of religion steer well clear of this book.

The story is about a hatchling of the clan of Arkies. This hatchling is the last one to be born in the nest. The mother can’t believe how different looking she is but loves her anyway and names her Confuchsia. The clan elders does like that she looks so different and have her leave. How does she look different? Confuchsia decides to see if she can find someone who can give her some advice and help. At long last, she does get advice that has her continue on her journey.what was her advice? Will she find someone like her?

The author has written a story that tells about a long journey that is taken.to learn about herself. I found myself smiling throughout this lovely picture book due to the plot. The illustrations are gorgeous. I think that though this is a picture book, the adults who read it will be as charmed as I was.

I couldn't get with this book at all and for a number of reasons. It's not accurate at all, and doesn't even try to be. Yes, it's aimed at young children, and no, it's not a science text book, nor should it be, but science education and understanding in the USA frankly sucks. It's consistently shown itself to be appalling and has fallen lately to where the combined math, science and reading scores in the US are way behind China, for example with whom a trade war is, as of this writing, in full swing, and even behind other places not renowned for their prowess, such as Estonia, Vietnam, Slovenia, Macau, and the Czech Republic, for example. Books like this are not to blame for those poor scores, but they sure don't lift a finger to help, and so are a part of the problem.

You can argue all you want that this is a children's book, not a science book, and it shouldn't be expected to teach children what they're obviously failing to learn in our underfunded schools, but the bare fact remains that it is just as easy to get facts right as to get them wrong, and you never hurt a child by telling the truth. On top of that, there was a strong religious element in this book which I didn't appreciate what with talk of a supreme being - which contributed nothing at all to the story and had no place in it, and with naming the characters after Confucius and Buddha! Why?!

The basic story is an old one of the 'ugly duckling' variety where a baby is born (in this case hatched) and doesn't fit in with the rest of the family - and so it's kicked out? This was the wrong approach to begin with. I hope no adopted child reads this. The child, Confuchsia, has to make her own way in the world very briefly, until she's rescued by a guy! Way to make a woman feel invalid until some guys saves her. The book buys right into the 'women are helpless playthings or property of men' garbage that women are still fighting, even in the west.

Confuchsia is obviously based on the fossil Confuciusornis, which contrary to this author's belief was not a bird and could not fly. Confuciusornis lived about 120 million years ago, and so would never have encountered a Brachiosaurus which lived thirty million years earlier, nor T rex, which lived sixty million years later, nor any velociraptor which also lived much later.

Obviously you don't want to spell out all these things in a children's book, or lecture them, but a modicum of research would have turned up a primitive bird such as Apsaravis which did live at the time of the velociraptors and T rex, and which could fly, along with Chiayusaurus which could have readily stood in for the brachiosaur. Also Confuciusornis was far from brightly-colored. It was a rather drab gray and brown color as far as science can determine. It took me five minutes to dig-up this information!

I'm sorry but this book could have done a lot better both in the factual parts of it and in how the story was told. As it was, it was passing on misinformation when it would have been just as easy to get it right and without even changing the arc of the story! I can't commend a book that so badly misinforms children and really doesn't tell that great of a story anyway.

I loved the author's introduction and the reasons why he started writing children's books!
The illustrations are vivid and lovely.
The text is beautifully written, the plot, the setting (in a fabulous and far-away country, China), the topics of acceptation of differences, family, sibblings, belonging, the quest of identity, friendship, love, all make this book a real treat! It also explores loneliness, the purpose of life and evolution.
To top it all, the story is original and the denouement is striking.
To conclude, this is a beautiful tale of adventure!

I received an electronic copy from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley.
An interesting tale of a transitional species in the evolutionary process from dinosaurs to birds. Confuchsia is born in the nest of another species. She's driven out and explores the great forest to find her place - definite fairy tale style. She meets the wise old dinosaur - very much an archetype - and gets life advice from him. After a dangerous encounter with raptors, she meets another creature like her. They form a family unit as the only two of their kind - again fairy tale perfect.
The writing flows smoothly though may be too wordy for younger readers. Definitely a book to read together as a family or class. The author references this in his opening information.

I'm almost at a loss for words with how disappointed and annoyed I am with <i>Confuchsia: An Early Bird's Tale </i>by Alan J. Paul. Nothing is worse than a book you're thoroughly excited for than seeing it completely ruined by a problematic notion. Granted, I'm well aware that my opinion on the matter of religion is one that not everyone shares, but the inclusion of it in a book that was meant to be about <i>science </i>and <i>evolution</i> really only serves to upset and bug the hell out of me. You see, <i>Confuchsia: An Early Bird's Tale</i> is meant to mildly portray the evolution of dinosaurs into birds, an actually fascinating piece of scientific history that can blow your mind. A student of mine even did a science fair project on it this year and reading his report was utterly brilliant. Yes, birds have quite a number of features that resemble the skeletons of the dinosaurs that have been found throughout the world over the years.

And so I was genuinely quite excited to get a chance to read <i>Confuchsia</i>, to see a book that provides this information to young children in a way that would develop their understanding of evolution. I desperately believe we need more books out there to increase children's understanding of science and couldn't have been more pleased that this book was out there. That is, right up until I got to the bit about the "Great One" who makes plans for every life on Earth and only "He" knows what purpose everyone has in their lives. I wanted to vomit, plain and simple. I do not think I can fully describe the despair I feel when people try to mix religion and science in children's books. Religion, a belief system only in existence because people refused to question the illogicality of it is rather insulting when compared to science, a field that regularly questions itself and requires verifiable proof to determine its truths. And even then, science still accepts that its theories might be wrong. But religion? It's a stuck up, pretend knowledge, as though the fact that it cannot be verified means one should never question it at all.

And I'm sorry, but it kills me when I see the two compared as though religion has any merit to hold up against science. And evolution is a brilliant theory, one that we have centuries worth of researched proof to verify. Religion doesn't hold any weight beside it. So for the author to suggest that religion is the reason evolution occurred, that "God" made it so is mind-numbingly frustrating and disappointing. And while I can give some credit in the fact that the author actually believes in evolution and that the story does somewhat center around this idea--warped as his telling of it may be since evolution is something that happens rather slowly and you're not like to see a species change from one form into another with just one birth--the rest of the story just bugged me incessantly.

I was excited to read <i>Confuchsia: An Early Bird's Tale</i>. I thought it would be a wonderful story that I would want to buy as soon as I have a child of my own. Much to my deep dismay, it was not. The problematic elements tied in with the religious aspect brought up mid-way through the tale completely ruined it for me to the point that I honestly cannot recommend the book to anyone. I am glad that the author's daughter enjoyed the story for it is a great thing to be able to write for your kids, though I greatly wish it wasn't trying to send a religious message.

<i>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>