The illustrations are fun and eye-catching, and the story offers readers encouragement to make their own fun.  The story begins with a gathering of ravens sitting around complaining of their boredom, until a brightly-colored, high-spirited strange bird crashes into their midst.  When the newcomer questions the group as to why they aren’t happy, the ravens reply by asking why they should be happy, to which the bright new fellow replies that they don’t need a reason to be happy.  The paradise bird then proceeds to give them lessons in fun, helping them make up a silly song & dance that suits their croaky caws, getting them all laughing before encouraging them to share what they’ve learned because, “Happiness stays with you when you spread it to others.” As part of the merry making, the paradise bird had shared with the black ravens some of his own brightly colored feathers as inspiration, which he leaves with them as reminders when he flies off, his mission accomplished, a nod to Pfister’s most famous book, The Rainbow Fish.