I think Lemon Bird: Can Help! By Paulina Ganucheau might be the first in a series, but also reads as if it is a second or later book in series as well. Otherwise, this is a sweet, simple story about trying, doing your best, friends, and being a decent creature. Funny mixed animals make clever characters (and maybe hungry!)
There is a lot to say about Lemon Bird. She is a bird that looks like a lemon. She is unable to fly, but really tries to learn. She saves a pupkin (a pup that is part pumpkin) and the two go off on adventures. Of course, at one point they become lost and have to find their way home (hence the adventures). The world they live in is an alternative fantasy realm with some blue faced people, red faced people, elven eared people, and a Lime Bird (who look like a plumb green lime). There are also humans that look like “us” but sometimes have blue and/or rainbow hair. The interesting part is humans and animals cannot communicate with each other, but all creatures seem to be able to communicate with each other. Human speech is denoted by symbols that look right out of your favorite sci-fi adventure. There is a message or two (this time trying and doing your best, being a good person/bird/pupkin/banana boar) and just fun bright images.
Those images are simplistic, but not simple, just right for the ages five and up (to be read to and read solo) crowd. They are bright without being obnoxious and minimal details. The story and the illustrations make Lemon Bird not my favorite book of the year, but terribly pleasant to read, and a pick-me-up.