Kids Bird Book Recommendations
SFBBO member Dudley Carlson, a biologist’s daughter, grew up in a family of birders and was Manager of Youth Services at Princeton (NJ) Public Library for 25 years. She believes that if children enjoy learning about birds and understand how important they are to our environment, then birds, nature and people will have a better chance at a healthy future.
To learn more about SFBBO’s Family Outreach Program, see Youth and Families, write to [email protected], or call (408) 946-6548, ext. 10. Check out this list of kids bird books prepared for SFBBO's Family Bird Adventures, September 2013, by Dudley B. Carlson, Children’s Literature Specialist, and most recently updated in February 2022. |
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BOOKS TO EXPLORE WHILE EXPLORING THE BAY AND ITS BIRDS
Note: Newer books may be available in bookstores and online. They, and older titles, may be found at your public or school library. Dates in ( ) at end of review indicate date included in SFBBO's e-newsletter, Wingbeat. Descriptions in “quotation marks” are from the catalog of the Peninsula Library System or from the book’s text. |
INFORMATION BOOKS
Alderfer, Jonathan K. Bird Guide of North America: The Best Birding Book for Kids from National Geographic’s Bird Experts. Washington: National Geographic, 2013.
“Profiles one hundred bird species from coast to coast, offers information about topics ranging from bird calls to behaviors, and provides complementary sidebars, range maps, and instructions for building birdhouses and bird feeders.”
Allred, Sylvester. Jabber, The Steller's Jay. Illustrated by Diane Iverson. Portland, Westwinds Press/Graphic Arts, 2017.
Attractive illustrations for younger children enlarge this story of four seasons in the life cycle a Steller's Jay. Though Jabber lives in the canyons of the Southwest, Steller's Jays also live with us, as do many of Jabber's companions.
Appleby, Alex. I See a Bird=Puedo ver un pájaro. New York: Gareth Stevens, 2013.
“Describes the physical characteristics and habits of birds.” Bilingual.
Armstrong, Jennifer. Audubon, Painter of Birds in the Wild Frontier. New York: Abrams, 2003.
“Briefly tells the story of this nineteenth-century painter and naturalist who is most famous for his detailed paintings of birds.”
Arnold, Caroline. Birds: Nature’s Magnificent Flying Machines. Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. Charlesbridge, 2003.
“Flying helps birds find food, reach safe places for building nests, escape from predators on the ground, and travel easily over long distances. It helps them to survive.” Arnold shows how they do it, and how much variety there is in flight. (2/14)
Arnosky, Jim. All About Turkeys. Illustrated by the author. New York, Scholastic, 1998;
Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. Wild Turkey, Tame Turkey. Photos by William Muñoz. New York, Clarion, 1989; Hutto, Joe, with Brenda Z. Guiberson. When I Was a Turkey. (See Hutto, below)
Three very different looks at wild turkeys, Arnosky's for the youngest, Patent's for independent readers, and Hutto's for older readers or for reading aloud to the family. All three cover basic life history, unusual anatomical details, and spread around the globe. Each defines unusual words; Hutto includes a glossary. (11/18)
Arnosky, Jim. Following the Coast. New York: HarperCollins, 2004.
“On their travels up the East Coast, the author and his wife describe the wildlife they encounter in different salt marshes.”
Arnosky, Jim. Watching Water Birds. Washington: National Geographic Society, 1997.
“Provides a personal look at various species of fresh- and saltwater birds, including loons and grebes, mergansers, mallards, wood ducks, Canada geese, gulls, and herons.”
Aston, Dianna. An Egg is Quiet. Illustrated by Sylvia Long. Chronicle, 2006.
Singer, Marilyn. Eggs. Illustrated by Emma Stevenson. Holiday House, 2008.
These two beautiful books describe eggs and their function as incubators of new life. Although Singer gives more detailed information, both contrast differences in form, appearance, habitat and parents. Both books include insects, reptiles and amphibians as well as birds. Perfect companions for the egg holidays of spring. (4/14)
Bauer, Marion Dane. Jump, Little Wood Ducks. Photos by Stan Tekiela. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications, 2017.
Reluctant ducklings, coaxed down from their tree nest by Mama, take the plunge. Photographic collage illustrates their progress; back matter includes greater detail about the lives of Wood Ducks. (6/17)
Bierregaard, Rob. Belle’s Journey; An Osprey Takes Flight. Illustrated by Kate Garchinsky. Watertown, MA, Charlesbridge, 2018.
Beautiful illustrations accompany this slightly fictionalized account of an actual osprey’s first flight from its birthplace on Martha’s Vineyard to Brazil, where it spends 18 months maturing before returning to find its northern home. (3/20)
Burnie, David. Bird. Revised edition. New York: DK Publishing, 2008.
“A photo essay on the world of birds examining such topics as body construction, feathers and flight, the adaptation of beaks and feet, feeding habits, courtship, nests and eggs, and bird watching.”
Burnie, David. Bird Watcher. New York: DK Publishing, 2005.
A variety of activities for young birders.
Burns, Loree Griffin. Citizen Scientists: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery in Your Own Backyard. New York: Henry Holt, 2012.
“Shows young readers how a citizen scientist learns about butterflies, birds, frogs, and ladybugs.” And how they can do it themselves. (11/13)
Burns, Loree Griffin. Tracking Trash; Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
With maps, charts and photographs, the author explores the world of oceanography and those who study currents, gyres, and all that floats in and on them. (5/19)
Cate, Annette LeBlanc. Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard. Candlewick Press, 2013.
This book offers the basics of birding, is humorously presented through drawings and cartoon-style balloons, and gives brief, read-aloud information with details to pore over. Full-color illustrations portray dozens of birds. (12/13)
Christelow, Eileen. Robins! How They Grow Up. Clarion, 2017.
In first-person cartoon style, two young robins review their life history, from Dad's flight north and Mom's nest-building to their fledging, narrow escapes, and preparation for migration. Glossary and additional facts appended. For the very youngest, see also Anne Rockwell's My Spring Robin (Aladdin, 2017). (5/17)
Collard, Sneed B. III. Fire Birds; Valuing Natural Wildfires and Burned Forests. Missoula, MT, Bucking Horse Books, 2015.
Far from creating total destruction, wildfires produce critical habitat for a variety of birds. First come beetles, then the woodpeckers that feed on them and create holes for other cavity-nesting birds, leading scientists to encourage the rethinking of wildfire suppression in remote areas. Illustrated with photographs, brief sketches of more than a dozen fire-dependent birds, and helpful lists of birds. Glossary, bibliography and websites included. (10/17)
Davies, Jacqueline. The Boy Who Drew Birds; A Story of John James Audubon. Illus. Melissa Sweet. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
“As a boy, John James Audubon loved to watch birds. In 1804, at the age of eighteen, he moved from his home in France to Pennsylvania. There he took a particular interest in peewee flycatchers. While observing these birds, John James became determined to answer a pair of two-thousand-year-old questions: Where do small birds go in the winter, and do they return to the same nest in the spring?”
Davies, Nicola. Just Ducks. Illus. Salvatore Rubino. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2012.
“On her way to school, a young girl spots mallard ducks in the river and enthusiastically describes their appearance, habits, and behavior. Interspersed throughout the pages are facts about ducks.”
Dawkins, Richard. Flights of Fancy; Defying Gravity by Design & Evolution. Illustrated by Jana Lenzová. UK, Apollo/Head of Zeus, 2021 (e-book).
From mythology to the drawings of Leonardo to interplanetary flight, Dawkins explores both man’s attempts to fly and the evolution of flight in birds, insects, a few animals, and man-made devices. For advanced readers, a fascinating combination of history, science and speculation. (12/21)
Dunning, Joan. Seabird in the Forest; The Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet. Boyds Mills Press, 2011.
Although the Marbeled Murrelet was long known as a seabird, its nesting habits were not discovered until 1974, when "a strange, downy chick was found, sitting all alone, high in a tree in Big Basin Redwoods State Park." The life cycle of this unusual bird is described in words and paintings, from the laying of an egg high in the redwood canopy to the chick's first flight out to the open ocean. Interested adults may also enjoy Maria Mudd Ruth's account in Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet (Rodale, 2005). (7/14)
Ebbesmeyer, Curtis and Eric Scigliano. Flotsametrics and the Floating World. New York, HarperCollins, 2009.
The oceanographer who coined the phrase "the great garbage patch" tells of his research and experimentation. An adult book full of storytelling and science about the oceans and the environment, appropriate for older readers. (5/19)
Eichler, Vic: The Passenger Pigeon: Gone Forever (Shantimira Press, 2013); Timberlake, Amy: One Came Home (Knopf, 2013); Mukerji, Dhan Gopal: Gay-Neck; The Story of a Pigeon (Dutton, 1927); Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw: Pigeons (Clarion, 1997).
Part of "Project Passenger Pigeon," honoring the 100th anniversary of the extinction of this incredible species, Eichler's book describes the huge numbers still present until late in the 19th century. The sudden collapse and extinction of this population is a cautionary tale for species today. Middle grade readers may also enjoy Amy Timberlake's One Came Home, a picaresque murder-mystery set against the backdrop of Wisconsin's huge 1871 pigeon nesting. Dhan Gopal Mukerji's Gay-Neck; The Story of a Pigeon (Dutton, 1927), though about a different species, tells the adventures of a carrier pigeon before and during World War I. And Patent's Pigeons, though it doesn't include the Passenger Pigeon, covers varied species related to our city pigeons, their life cycles, and the ways in which they have been used and trained by people. All are suitable for middle-grade readers. (9/14)
Fleischman, Paul. Townsend's Warbler. New York, HarperCollins, 1992.
This slender (52 p.) volume alternates between the migration of Townsend's Warbler from Central America to the upper West Coast and the 1834 expedition on which naturalists John Kirk Townsend and Thomas Nuttall accompanied explorers on the Oregon Trail, searching for new species of plants and birds. Black-and-white period illustrations and a map of their travels are included. (7/17)
Fleisher, Paul. Salt Marsh. Illus. Jean Cassels. New York: Benchmark Books, 1999.
“Describes the physical environment of a salt marsh and the plants and animals that live there.”
Franco, Betsy. Bird Songs. Illus. Steve Jenkins. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2007.
“Throughout the day and into the night various birds sing their songs, beginning with the woodpecker who taps a pole ten times and counting down to the hummingbird who calls once.”
Garland, Michael. Birds Make Nests. New York, Holiday House, 2017.
Minimal text suitable for very young children, accompanied by large illustrations in digitally enhanced woodcuts, show a variety of nest shapes, locations and materials, all designed to keep eggs and chicks safe. Each species is identified in small type, and the large compositions show details of plumage and background that children of varied ages will enjoy poring over and discussing. (2/17)
George, Jean Craighead. Luck. Illus. Wendell Minor. New York: Harper Collins, 2006.
“A young sandhill crane, Luck, finds his place in the ancient crane migration from northern Canada to the Platte River.”
Gibbons, Gail. Gulls – Gulls – Gulls. New York: Holiday House, 1997.
“Describes the life cycle, behavior patterns, and habitat of various species of gulls, focusing on those found in North America.” (10/13)
Gibbons, Gail. Owls. New York, Holiday House, 2005; Markle, Sandra. Owls (Animal Predators series). Minneapolis, Carolrhoda Books, 2004; Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon. Illus. John Schoenherr. New York: Philomel, 1987.
Two books similar in size and age appeal offer strikingly different illustrations. While both Gibbons and Markle introduce a variety of owl species, their characteristics and life cycles, the child-friendly paintings on Gibbons's pages will appeal to slightly younger readers, while Markle's dramatic photos may reach a wider audience. Both provide solid information and a good overview of this important group of predators. Yolen's winter drama adds an up-close experience for the youngest birders and their older siblings. (10/18)
Godkin, Celia. Skydiver; Saving the Fastest Bird in the World. Pajama Press, 2014.
Bold illustrations and simple text describe the mating and nesting of a Peregrine pair, followed by a short explanation of the impact of DDT on birds of prey, why it was banned, and a description of the restoration efforts that brought back these important birds. (2/16)
Goldin, Augusta. Ducks Don’t Get Wet. Illus. Helen K. Davis. New York: HarperCollins, 1999.
“Describes the behavior of different kinds of ducks and, in particular, discusses how all ducks use preening to keep their feathers dry.”
Hagedorn, Kara. Hawk Mother; The Story of a Red-Tailed Hawk Who Hatched Chickens. Illustrated with photographs. Berkeley: Web of Life Children's Books, 2017.
Sunshine, a hawk too badly injured to return to the wild, is rescued and rehabilitated by a wildlife biologist. After several years, she lays eggs. Recognizing her need to be a parent, the biologist substitutes hen eggs and watches Sunshine raise them successfully. Clear photos and text with highlighted words defined in a glossary will help young readers understand not only the process of incubation and hatching but also the importance of protection for wild raptors. (6/18)
Hickman, Pamela. Nature All Around: Birds. Illustrated by Carolyn Gavin. Kids Can, 2020.
Bold illustrations and a wealth of information about a wide variety of birds, their parts, life cyles, habitats, and survival tactics. For reading aloud to older preschoolers and early grades as well as for reluctant readers. (2/21)
Hocker, Katherine, and Mary Willson. The Singer in the Stream; A Story of American Dippers. Illus. Katherine Hocker. Yosemite Conservancy, 2008, 2015.
Cold, fast-running water is the habitat of this unusual bird, which lives on land but finds its food while running underneath the water. Cold winter days are an ideal time to find them perched on rocks in mid-stream. Large illustrations and rhyming text suited for young children are followed by details and sources for older readers. (1/16)
Hoose, Philip. Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95. New York: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2012.
“Documents the survival tale of an intrepid shorebird who has endured annual migrations between Argentina and the Canadian Arctic throughout the course of a long lifetime while his species [the Rufous Red Knot] continues to decline.” By the author of The Race to Save the Lord God Bird, about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. (9/13)
Hyman, Jeremy. Bird Brains; The Wild & Wacky World of Birds. Illustrated by Haude Levesque. Moon Dance Press, 2017.
Bird intelligence is explored through many examples, from songs, navigation and mimicry to nest building, tool use and a variety of other adaptations. Though not for beginners, the simple text and large illustrations should appeal to elementary readers as well as their older and younger siblings. (2/18)
Hutto, Joe, with Brenda Z. Guiberson. When I Was a Turkey. Based on the Emmy Award-Winning PBS Documentary My Life As A Turkey. Illustrations by Joe Hutto. New York, Henry Holt, 2017.
In 1991, naturalist Hutto raised 23 wild turkeys from 30 eggs rescued from plowed fields. He didn't anticipate that when the poults imprinted on him, making him their "mother," he would spend more than a year literally becoming one of them in order to understand their behavior, as he describes in lively detail. (1/18)
Judge, Lita. Bird Talk: What Birds are Saying and Why. New York: FlashPoint, 2012.
“Birds have lots of ways of communicating: They sing and talk, dance and drum, cuddle and fight. But what does all of the bird talk mean? Take a look at the secret life of birds in a child-friendly format that is sure to appeal to readers of all ages – whether they’re die-hard bird-watchers or just curious about the creatures in their own backyards.”
Kirby, Pamela F. What Bluebirds Do. Boyds Mills Press, 2009.
Clear, simple text and wonderful photographs follow two Eastern Bluebirds from the preliminary gathering of nesting materials until the fledglings are independent. Mountain and Western Bluebirds are introduced; migration, nest boxes and protection are briefly discussed. (5/15)
Kirkland, Jane. Take a Backyard Bird Walk. Lionvillle, PA: Stillwater Publishing, 2001.
“Tells readers the best way to spot birds while walking through their backyard, providing a place to sketch and write field notes, and introduces the characteristics and behaviors of different birds so that they may be easily identified.”
Kress, Stephen W., as told to Pete Salmansohn. Project Puffin; How We Brought Puffins Back to Egg Rock. (A National Audubon Society Book). Thomaston, ME: Tilbury House, 1997.
Exterminated from Maine’s Eastern Egg Rock in the 19th century, Atlantic Puffins were restored between 1973 and 1981 by Steve Kress and a team of researchers who studied their needs and patiently introduced chicks, fed and monitored them, and recorded their success. Illustrated with photographs. (9/19)
Latimer, Jonathan P. and Karen Stray Nolting. Shorebirds. Illus. Roger Tory Peterson. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999.
“A field guide to shorebirds in the air, on the water, on the ground, and in the grass, including gulls, coots, sandpipers, and egrets.”
Lerner, Carol. On the Wing; American Birds in Migration. HarperCollins, 2001.
Eighty percent of the birds that nest in North America migrate south to north, west to east, low to high, or in other ways. Lerner outlines these patterns, the reasons for them, and ways they are studied. With huge flocks moving past us on their way to nesting grounds, spring is a perfect time to learn more about their movements. (3/14)
Lim, Hope. I Am A Bird. Illustrated by Hyewon Yum. Candlewick, 2021.
A small girl on the back of her father’s bike flies and sings like a bird as they ride, until she sees a woman who doesn’t look friendly. It takes several tries for her to discover that they have a love of birds in common. (5/21)
Loebel-Fried, Caren. A Perfect Day for an Albatross. Cornell Lab Publishing Group, 2017.Mālie, a Laysan Albatross on Midway Atoll, narrates a typical day in her life as a nesting mother, remembering her early years and courtship while caring for her egg until her mate comes to take his turn, freeing her to fly in search of food. Illustrated with block prints in bright colors, with additional details and albatross webcam information appended. (3/18)
Markle, Sandra. The Long, Long Journey; The Godwit's Amazing Migration. Illustrations by Mia Posada. Minneapolis, Millbrook Press, 2013.
Among the longest-distance migrants in the bird world, the Bar-tailed Godwit, whose life cycle is described in simple text and large paintings, flies more than 7,200 miles nonstop from Alaska to the tip of New Zealand. The Marbled Godwits that winter around the Bay are close relatives but fly much shorter distances. (9/18)
Markle, Sandra. Owls (Animal Predators series). Minneapolis, Carolrhoda Books, 2004.
See Gibbons, Owls, above.
Montgomery, Sy. Condor Comeback. Photos by Tianne Strombeck. (Scientists in the Field Series) New York: Gareth Stevens, 2013. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2020.
Follows the work of scientists working to save the tiny population of California Condors, re-establishing them in the wild and searching for ways to prevent their extinction. (12/20)
Montgomery, Sy. Kakapo Rescue; Saving the World's Strangest Parrot. Photographs by Nic Bishop. (Scientists in the Field series.) Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010.
Stopping an extinction requires intense coordination and deep scientific knowledge. Montgomery and Bishop accompany a team working to save the fewer than 90 remaining kakapo - flightless, nocturnal birds native to New Zealand - being nurtured and studied on remote Codfish Island. (7/16)
Page, Robin. The Beak Book. Illustrated by the author. New York, Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, 2021.
Large, bold illustrations and brief text highlight a wide variety of beaks and bills and their uses. (12/21)
Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw: Pigeons. Clarion, 1997. SEE Eichler, above.
Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw.. The Call of the Osprey. Photographs by William Muñoz. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.
At the top of a riparian food chain, Ospreys provide scientists with a means of evaluating effects of a toxic spill. Patent follows the work of scientists studying the effects of pollution from a huge superfund site in Montana, where tailings from a
century of mining threaten many forms of wildlife. Text and photos bring to life both the life cycle of the Osprey and the detailed work of scientists studying cause and effect. (11/15)
Pelletier, Mia. .A Children's Guide to Arctic Birds. Illustrated by Danny Christopher. Toronto: Inhabit Media, 2014.
Why do some birds fly all the way from the Antarctic to the Arctic every year? What does it take to survive such a journey, and how do they and others survive the many Arctic predators as they raise their young in the Arctic? Lucid explanations and dramatic, informative illustrations answer these and other questions through the life cycles of a dozen diverse migrants. (1/15)
Prosek, James. Bird/Butterfly/Eel. Simon & Schuster, 2009.
“Follows a bird, a monarch butterfly, and an eel from summer on a farm until they make their respective fall voyages south, and then later begin to return north again when the weather warms.”
Rockwell, Anne. My Spring Robin. Illustrated by Harlow Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell. Aladdin, 2017.
As a young child looks forward to the return of the robin she heard last year, she encounters other signs of spring. (5/17)
Rockwell, Lizzy. A Bird Is a Bird. Holiday House, 2015.
Birds have beaks; so does a platypus. Birds have wings; so does a fly. For the youngest child, Rockwell takes a careful looks at what distinguishes birds from other animals, and how they use their special attributes. The arresting cover illustration of a Black-necked Stilt with chicks is an added come-on for young birders of the Bay Area. (3/15)
Roth, Susan L. and Cindy Trumbore. Parrots Over Puerto Rico. Lee & Low, 2013.
“Once hundreds of thousands of Puerto Rican parrots flew over the islands. By 1975, only thirteen parrots were left in the rain forest. “ Lively fabric collage illustrations help show how the story of Puerto Rico’s parrots is intertwined with the island’s history and its people, and how these birds nearly disappeared before scientists came to the rescue. Winner of the 2014 Robert F. Sibert Award for children’s nonfiction, given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. (5/14)
Ruth, Maria Mudd. Hawks and Falcons. New York: Benchmark Books, 2004.
“Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, habitat, and endangered status of hawks and falcons.”
Schulman, Janet. Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.
“ A red tail hawk and his mate build their nest near the top of a Fifth Avenue apartment building and bird watchers gather hoping to see the chicks in the nest.”
Sill, Cathryn. About Raptors; A Guide for Children. Illustrated by John Sill. Peachtree, 2010.
One short sentence per page, opposite large, colorful illustrations, introduces young children to a variety of raptors from across the world, explaining their common characteristics and differences. At the end, a brief paragraph elaborates on each bird for older children, detailing food, habitat, or hunting style. (5/16)
Silver, Donald M. One Small Square: Seashore. McGraw, 1993.
This book explores the interactions among birds and other creatures of the sandy beach and rocky shore. It also includes suggestions for studying, monitoring, sketching and collecting. (1/14)
Singer, Marilyn. Eggs. See Aston, above.
Stewart, Melissa. Feathers: Not Just for Flying. Illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. Charlesbridge, 2014.
Making sounds, attracting mates, keeping warm and clean, providing camouflage; these are just some of the many jobs feathers do. Simple text for the very young child is followed by explanations for older (or growing) readers. Illustrations are both attractive and informative. The author takes the trouble to point out, in back matter, that collecting feathers is prohibited. (6/14)
Stewart, Melissa. A Place for Birds. Illus. Higgins Bond. Peachtree Publishers, 2009, 2015.
Protecting beaches for safe nesting, placing nest boxes for cavity-dwellers, restoring grassy areas, avoiding pollution - these and other ways that people can protect habitat and create or restore bird life are presented in picture book format for young children. Sidebars offer additional information for older readers. Celebrate the holidays by introducing young readers to a variety of birds and their needs. (12/15)
Taylor, Marianne. How Birds Work; An Illustrated Guide to the Wonders of Form and Function, From Bones to Beak. Illustrated with photos and drawings. Peachtree The Experiment/UniPress, 2020.
A full overview of the systems of bird bodies, with an introductory look at evolution. Two-page spreads on each subtopic are accompanied by colorful photos and explanatory drawings. For older readers. (12/21)
Thornhill, Jan.. The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk. Toronto, Groundwood, 2016.
"Less than four centuries ago, hundreds of thousands of these magnificent birds lived in the frigid seas between Europe and North America. Now there are none. So what happened?" Thornhill introduces multiple causes: a warming ocean, human predators, wings perfectly adapted for swimming but not for flying. Then, step by step, she details the inevitable: "but then humans became seafarers...but then the Europeans arrived...but then disaster struck." Beautifully illustrated, this is a sobering introduction to extinction for early and middle-grade readers. (1/17)
Thornhill, Jan. The Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow. Toronto and Berkeley, Groundwood Books, 2018.
A lively history of the origins and spread of a bird that has been celebrated and reviled throughout most of the inhabitated world. (2/19)
Turner, Pamela S. Crow Smarts; Inside the Brain of the World's Brightest Bird. Photographs by Andy Comins, art by Guido de Filippo. (Scientists in the Field series.) Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.
"Is a crow smarter than a second-grader?" asks the author. New Caledonian Crows are one of only five animal species known to make multiple kinds of tools, and the only one other than humans known to make tools with hooks. Turner accompanies researchers testing these crows to learn more about their remarkable abilities. (12/16)
Twine, Alice. Ducks=Patos. Traducción en español, José María Obregón. New York: PowerKids Press and Editorial Buenas Letras, 2008.
“Simple text and photographs present the physical characteristics and behavior of ducklings.” Bilingual.
Valéro, Geraldo. My Book of Birds. Illustrated by John Sill. Groundwood, 2016.
In this attractive introduction, an artist who grew up in Brazil and now lives in Canada presents representative North American birds using paper collage. Large format allows the illustrations to fill the pages, while brief factual text introduces a variety of traits. Endpapers depict the eggs and feathers of each species. (6/16)
Ward, Jennifer. How to Find a Bird. Illustrated by Diana Sudyka Beach Lane, 2020.
For young children, suggestions on where to look and how to go about finding a wide variety of birds. Basics of size, shape, coloration and behavior guide two children (and readers) as they explore different habitats and their residents. (2/21)
Webb, Sophie. Looking for Seabirds; Journal from an Alaskan Voyage. Houghton Mifflin, 2004.
Webb's pictorial journal describes a pelagic trip on which she joined biologists and marine scientists to census and sketch birds. Though details of bird life are sparse, they're telling; and she provides a good idea of what life at sea in cold, wet weather is like. Good background for families planning trips to coastal Alaska or the Aleutians, or pelagic trips to the Farallons. (2/15)
Willis, Nancy Carol. Red Knot; A Shorebird's Incredible Journey. Birdsong Books, 2006.
While the Red Knot depicted here migrates along the east coast of the U.S., its astounding long-distance journey and life cycle should be known to anyone interested in migration. Simple text and bold illustrations also show the seasonal change of plumage and the process of banding. Back matter explains banding in more detail and includes a glossary. Challenge: can you find one small numerical error? (Hint: watch for the word "butter.")
(8/16)
“Profiles one hundred bird species from coast to coast, offers information about topics ranging from bird calls to behaviors, and provides complementary sidebars, range maps, and instructions for building birdhouses and bird feeders.”
Allred, Sylvester. Jabber, The Steller's Jay. Illustrated by Diane Iverson. Portland, Westwinds Press/Graphic Arts, 2017.
Attractive illustrations for younger children enlarge this story of four seasons in the life cycle a Steller's Jay. Though Jabber lives in the canyons of the Southwest, Steller's Jays also live with us, as do many of Jabber's companions.
Appleby, Alex. I See a Bird=Puedo ver un pájaro. New York: Gareth Stevens, 2013.
“Describes the physical characteristics and habits of birds.” Bilingual.
Armstrong, Jennifer. Audubon, Painter of Birds in the Wild Frontier. New York: Abrams, 2003.
“Briefly tells the story of this nineteenth-century painter and naturalist who is most famous for his detailed paintings of birds.”
Arnold, Caroline. Birds: Nature’s Magnificent Flying Machines. Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. Charlesbridge, 2003.
“Flying helps birds find food, reach safe places for building nests, escape from predators on the ground, and travel easily over long distances. It helps them to survive.” Arnold shows how they do it, and how much variety there is in flight. (2/14)
Arnosky, Jim. All About Turkeys. Illustrated by the author. New York, Scholastic, 1998;
Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. Wild Turkey, Tame Turkey. Photos by William Muñoz. New York, Clarion, 1989; Hutto, Joe, with Brenda Z. Guiberson. When I Was a Turkey. (See Hutto, below)
Three very different looks at wild turkeys, Arnosky's for the youngest, Patent's for independent readers, and Hutto's for older readers or for reading aloud to the family. All three cover basic life history, unusual anatomical details, and spread around the globe. Each defines unusual words; Hutto includes a glossary. (11/18)
Arnosky, Jim. Following the Coast. New York: HarperCollins, 2004.
“On their travels up the East Coast, the author and his wife describe the wildlife they encounter in different salt marshes.”
Arnosky, Jim. Watching Water Birds. Washington: National Geographic Society, 1997.
“Provides a personal look at various species of fresh- and saltwater birds, including loons and grebes, mergansers, mallards, wood ducks, Canada geese, gulls, and herons.”
Aston, Dianna. An Egg is Quiet. Illustrated by Sylvia Long. Chronicle, 2006.
Singer, Marilyn. Eggs. Illustrated by Emma Stevenson. Holiday House, 2008.
These two beautiful books describe eggs and their function as incubators of new life. Although Singer gives more detailed information, both contrast differences in form, appearance, habitat and parents. Both books include insects, reptiles and amphibians as well as birds. Perfect companions for the egg holidays of spring. (4/14)
Bauer, Marion Dane. Jump, Little Wood Ducks. Photos by Stan Tekiela. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications, 2017.
Reluctant ducklings, coaxed down from their tree nest by Mama, take the plunge. Photographic collage illustrates their progress; back matter includes greater detail about the lives of Wood Ducks. (6/17)
Bierregaard, Rob. Belle’s Journey; An Osprey Takes Flight. Illustrated by Kate Garchinsky. Watertown, MA, Charlesbridge, 2018.
Beautiful illustrations accompany this slightly fictionalized account of an actual osprey’s first flight from its birthplace on Martha’s Vineyard to Brazil, where it spends 18 months maturing before returning to find its northern home. (3/20)
Burnie, David. Bird. Revised edition. New York: DK Publishing, 2008.
“A photo essay on the world of birds examining such topics as body construction, feathers and flight, the adaptation of beaks and feet, feeding habits, courtship, nests and eggs, and bird watching.”
Burnie, David. Bird Watcher. New York: DK Publishing, 2005.
A variety of activities for young birders.
Burns, Loree Griffin. Citizen Scientists: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery in Your Own Backyard. New York: Henry Holt, 2012.
“Shows young readers how a citizen scientist learns about butterflies, birds, frogs, and ladybugs.” And how they can do it themselves. (11/13)
Burns, Loree Griffin. Tracking Trash; Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
With maps, charts and photographs, the author explores the world of oceanography and those who study currents, gyres, and all that floats in and on them. (5/19)
Cate, Annette LeBlanc. Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard. Candlewick Press, 2013.
This book offers the basics of birding, is humorously presented through drawings and cartoon-style balloons, and gives brief, read-aloud information with details to pore over. Full-color illustrations portray dozens of birds. (12/13)
Christelow, Eileen. Robins! How They Grow Up. Clarion, 2017.
In first-person cartoon style, two young robins review their life history, from Dad's flight north and Mom's nest-building to their fledging, narrow escapes, and preparation for migration. Glossary and additional facts appended. For the very youngest, see also Anne Rockwell's My Spring Robin (Aladdin, 2017). (5/17)
Collard, Sneed B. III. Fire Birds; Valuing Natural Wildfires and Burned Forests. Missoula, MT, Bucking Horse Books, 2015.
Far from creating total destruction, wildfires produce critical habitat for a variety of birds. First come beetles, then the woodpeckers that feed on them and create holes for other cavity-nesting birds, leading scientists to encourage the rethinking of wildfire suppression in remote areas. Illustrated with photographs, brief sketches of more than a dozen fire-dependent birds, and helpful lists of birds. Glossary, bibliography and websites included. (10/17)
Davies, Jacqueline. The Boy Who Drew Birds; A Story of John James Audubon. Illus. Melissa Sweet. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
“As a boy, John James Audubon loved to watch birds. In 1804, at the age of eighteen, he moved from his home in France to Pennsylvania. There he took a particular interest in peewee flycatchers. While observing these birds, John James became determined to answer a pair of two-thousand-year-old questions: Where do small birds go in the winter, and do they return to the same nest in the spring?”
Davies, Nicola. Just Ducks. Illus. Salvatore Rubino. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2012.
“On her way to school, a young girl spots mallard ducks in the river and enthusiastically describes their appearance, habits, and behavior. Interspersed throughout the pages are facts about ducks.”
Dawkins, Richard. Flights of Fancy; Defying Gravity by Design & Evolution. Illustrated by Jana Lenzová. UK, Apollo/Head of Zeus, 2021 (e-book).
From mythology to the drawings of Leonardo to interplanetary flight, Dawkins explores both man’s attempts to fly and the evolution of flight in birds, insects, a few animals, and man-made devices. For advanced readers, a fascinating combination of history, science and speculation. (12/21)
Dunning, Joan. Seabird in the Forest; The Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet. Boyds Mills Press, 2011.
Although the Marbeled Murrelet was long known as a seabird, its nesting habits were not discovered until 1974, when "a strange, downy chick was found, sitting all alone, high in a tree in Big Basin Redwoods State Park." The life cycle of this unusual bird is described in words and paintings, from the laying of an egg high in the redwood canopy to the chick's first flight out to the open ocean. Interested adults may also enjoy Maria Mudd Ruth's account in Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet (Rodale, 2005). (7/14)
Ebbesmeyer, Curtis and Eric Scigliano. Flotsametrics and the Floating World. New York, HarperCollins, 2009.
The oceanographer who coined the phrase "the great garbage patch" tells of his research and experimentation. An adult book full of storytelling and science about the oceans and the environment, appropriate for older readers. (5/19)
Eichler, Vic: The Passenger Pigeon: Gone Forever (Shantimira Press, 2013); Timberlake, Amy: One Came Home (Knopf, 2013); Mukerji, Dhan Gopal: Gay-Neck; The Story of a Pigeon (Dutton, 1927); Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw: Pigeons (Clarion, 1997).
Part of "Project Passenger Pigeon," honoring the 100th anniversary of the extinction of this incredible species, Eichler's book describes the huge numbers still present until late in the 19th century. The sudden collapse and extinction of this population is a cautionary tale for species today. Middle grade readers may also enjoy Amy Timberlake's One Came Home, a picaresque murder-mystery set against the backdrop of Wisconsin's huge 1871 pigeon nesting. Dhan Gopal Mukerji's Gay-Neck; The Story of a Pigeon (Dutton, 1927), though about a different species, tells the adventures of a carrier pigeon before and during World War I. And Patent's Pigeons, though it doesn't include the Passenger Pigeon, covers varied species related to our city pigeons, their life cycles, and the ways in which they have been used and trained by people. All are suitable for middle-grade readers. (9/14)
Fleischman, Paul. Townsend's Warbler. New York, HarperCollins, 1992.
This slender (52 p.) volume alternates between the migration of Townsend's Warbler from Central America to the upper West Coast and the 1834 expedition on which naturalists John Kirk Townsend and Thomas Nuttall accompanied explorers on the Oregon Trail, searching for new species of plants and birds. Black-and-white period illustrations and a map of their travels are included. (7/17)
Fleisher, Paul. Salt Marsh. Illus. Jean Cassels. New York: Benchmark Books, 1999.
“Describes the physical environment of a salt marsh and the plants and animals that live there.”
Franco, Betsy. Bird Songs. Illus. Steve Jenkins. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2007.
“Throughout the day and into the night various birds sing their songs, beginning with the woodpecker who taps a pole ten times and counting down to the hummingbird who calls once.”
Garland, Michael. Birds Make Nests. New York, Holiday House, 2017.
Minimal text suitable for very young children, accompanied by large illustrations in digitally enhanced woodcuts, show a variety of nest shapes, locations and materials, all designed to keep eggs and chicks safe. Each species is identified in small type, and the large compositions show details of plumage and background that children of varied ages will enjoy poring over and discussing. (2/17)
George, Jean Craighead. Luck. Illus. Wendell Minor. New York: Harper Collins, 2006.
“A young sandhill crane, Luck, finds his place in the ancient crane migration from northern Canada to the Platte River.”
Gibbons, Gail. Gulls – Gulls – Gulls. New York: Holiday House, 1997.
“Describes the life cycle, behavior patterns, and habitat of various species of gulls, focusing on those found in North America.” (10/13)
Gibbons, Gail. Owls. New York, Holiday House, 2005; Markle, Sandra. Owls (Animal Predators series). Minneapolis, Carolrhoda Books, 2004; Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon. Illus. John Schoenherr. New York: Philomel, 1987.
Two books similar in size and age appeal offer strikingly different illustrations. While both Gibbons and Markle introduce a variety of owl species, their characteristics and life cycles, the child-friendly paintings on Gibbons's pages will appeal to slightly younger readers, while Markle's dramatic photos may reach a wider audience. Both provide solid information and a good overview of this important group of predators. Yolen's winter drama adds an up-close experience for the youngest birders and their older siblings. (10/18)
Godkin, Celia. Skydiver; Saving the Fastest Bird in the World. Pajama Press, 2014.
Bold illustrations and simple text describe the mating and nesting of a Peregrine pair, followed by a short explanation of the impact of DDT on birds of prey, why it was banned, and a description of the restoration efforts that brought back these important birds. (2/16)
Goldin, Augusta. Ducks Don’t Get Wet. Illus. Helen K. Davis. New York: HarperCollins, 1999.
“Describes the behavior of different kinds of ducks and, in particular, discusses how all ducks use preening to keep their feathers dry.”
Hagedorn, Kara. Hawk Mother; The Story of a Red-Tailed Hawk Who Hatched Chickens. Illustrated with photographs. Berkeley: Web of Life Children's Books, 2017.
Sunshine, a hawk too badly injured to return to the wild, is rescued and rehabilitated by a wildlife biologist. After several years, she lays eggs. Recognizing her need to be a parent, the biologist substitutes hen eggs and watches Sunshine raise them successfully. Clear photos and text with highlighted words defined in a glossary will help young readers understand not only the process of incubation and hatching but also the importance of protection for wild raptors. (6/18)
Hickman, Pamela. Nature All Around: Birds. Illustrated by Carolyn Gavin. Kids Can, 2020.
Bold illustrations and a wealth of information about a wide variety of birds, their parts, life cyles, habitats, and survival tactics. For reading aloud to older preschoolers and early grades as well as for reluctant readers. (2/21)
Hocker, Katherine, and Mary Willson. The Singer in the Stream; A Story of American Dippers. Illus. Katherine Hocker. Yosemite Conservancy, 2008, 2015.
Cold, fast-running water is the habitat of this unusual bird, which lives on land but finds its food while running underneath the water. Cold winter days are an ideal time to find them perched on rocks in mid-stream. Large illustrations and rhyming text suited for young children are followed by details and sources for older readers. (1/16)
Hoose, Philip. Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95. New York: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2012.
“Documents the survival tale of an intrepid shorebird who has endured annual migrations between Argentina and the Canadian Arctic throughout the course of a long lifetime while his species [the Rufous Red Knot] continues to decline.” By the author of The Race to Save the Lord God Bird, about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. (9/13)
Hyman, Jeremy. Bird Brains; The Wild & Wacky World of Birds. Illustrated by Haude Levesque. Moon Dance Press, 2017.
Bird intelligence is explored through many examples, from songs, navigation and mimicry to nest building, tool use and a variety of other adaptations. Though not for beginners, the simple text and large illustrations should appeal to elementary readers as well as their older and younger siblings. (2/18)
Hutto, Joe, with Brenda Z. Guiberson. When I Was a Turkey. Based on the Emmy Award-Winning PBS Documentary My Life As A Turkey. Illustrations by Joe Hutto. New York, Henry Holt, 2017.
In 1991, naturalist Hutto raised 23 wild turkeys from 30 eggs rescued from plowed fields. He didn't anticipate that when the poults imprinted on him, making him their "mother," he would spend more than a year literally becoming one of them in order to understand their behavior, as he describes in lively detail. (1/18)
Judge, Lita. Bird Talk: What Birds are Saying and Why. New York: FlashPoint, 2012.
“Birds have lots of ways of communicating: They sing and talk, dance and drum, cuddle and fight. But what does all of the bird talk mean? Take a look at the secret life of birds in a child-friendly format that is sure to appeal to readers of all ages – whether they’re die-hard bird-watchers or just curious about the creatures in their own backyards.”
Kirby, Pamela F. What Bluebirds Do. Boyds Mills Press, 2009.
Clear, simple text and wonderful photographs follow two Eastern Bluebirds from the preliminary gathering of nesting materials until the fledglings are independent. Mountain and Western Bluebirds are introduced; migration, nest boxes and protection are briefly discussed. (5/15)
Kirkland, Jane. Take a Backyard Bird Walk. Lionvillle, PA: Stillwater Publishing, 2001.
“Tells readers the best way to spot birds while walking through their backyard, providing a place to sketch and write field notes, and introduces the characteristics and behaviors of different birds so that they may be easily identified.”
Kress, Stephen W., as told to Pete Salmansohn. Project Puffin; How We Brought Puffins Back to Egg Rock. (A National Audubon Society Book). Thomaston, ME: Tilbury House, 1997.
Exterminated from Maine’s Eastern Egg Rock in the 19th century, Atlantic Puffins were restored between 1973 and 1981 by Steve Kress and a team of researchers who studied their needs and patiently introduced chicks, fed and monitored them, and recorded their success. Illustrated with photographs. (9/19)
Latimer, Jonathan P. and Karen Stray Nolting. Shorebirds. Illus. Roger Tory Peterson. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999.
“A field guide to shorebirds in the air, on the water, on the ground, and in the grass, including gulls, coots, sandpipers, and egrets.”
Lerner, Carol. On the Wing; American Birds in Migration. HarperCollins, 2001.
Eighty percent of the birds that nest in North America migrate south to north, west to east, low to high, or in other ways. Lerner outlines these patterns, the reasons for them, and ways they are studied. With huge flocks moving past us on their way to nesting grounds, spring is a perfect time to learn more about their movements. (3/14)
Lim, Hope. I Am A Bird. Illustrated by Hyewon Yum. Candlewick, 2021.
A small girl on the back of her father’s bike flies and sings like a bird as they ride, until she sees a woman who doesn’t look friendly. It takes several tries for her to discover that they have a love of birds in common. (5/21)
Loebel-Fried, Caren. A Perfect Day for an Albatross. Cornell Lab Publishing Group, 2017.Mālie, a Laysan Albatross on Midway Atoll, narrates a typical day in her life as a nesting mother, remembering her early years and courtship while caring for her egg until her mate comes to take his turn, freeing her to fly in search of food. Illustrated with block prints in bright colors, with additional details and albatross webcam information appended. (3/18)
Markle, Sandra. The Long, Long Journey; The Godwit's Amazing Migration. Illustrations by Mia Posada. Minneapolis, Millbrook Press, 2013.
Among the longest-distance migrants in the bird world, the Bar-tailed Godwit, whose life cycle is described in simple text and large paintings, flies more than 7,200 miles nonstop from Alaska to the tip of New Zealand. The Marbled Godwits that winter around the Bay are close relatives but fly much shorter distances. (9/18)
Markle, Sandra. Owls (Animal Predators series). Minneapolis, Carolrhoda Books, 2004.
See Gibbons, Owls, above.
Montgomery, Sy. Condor Comeback. Photos by Tianne Strombeck. (Scientists in the Field Series) New York: Gareth Stevens, 2013. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2020.
Follows the work of scientists working to save the tiny population of California Condors, re-establishing them in the wild and searching for ways to prevent their extinction. (12/20)
Montgomery, Sy. Kakapo Rescue; Saving the World's Strangest Parrot. Photographs by Nic Bishop. (Scientists in the Field series.) Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010.
Stopping an extinction requires intense coordination and deep scientific knowledge. Montgomery and Bishop accompany a team working to save the fewer than 90 remaining kakapo - flightless, nocturnal birds native to New Zealand - being nurtured and studied on remote Codfish Island. (7/16)
Page, Robin. The Beak Book. Illustrated by the author. New York, Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, 2021.
Large, bold illustrations and brief text highlight a wide variety of beaks and bills and their uses. (12/21)
Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw: Pigeons. Clarion, 1997. SEE Eichler, above.
Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw.. The Call of the Osprey. Photographs by William Muñoz. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015.
At the top of a riparian food chain, Ospreys provide scientists with a means of evaluating effects of a toxic spill. Patent follows the work of scientists studying the effects of pollution from a huge superfund site in Montana, where tailings from a
century of mining threaten many forms of wildlife. Text and photos bring to life both the life cycle of the Osprey and the detailed work of scientists studying cause and effect. (11/15)
Pelletier, Mia. .A Children's Guide to Arctic Birds. Illustrated by Danny Christopher. Toronto: Inhabit Media, 2014.
Why do some birds fly all the way from the Antarctic to the Arctic every year? What does it take to survive such a journey, and how do they and others survive the many Arctic predators as they raise their young in the Arctic? Lucid explanations and dramatic, informative illustrations answer these and other questions through the life cycles of a dozen diverse migrants. (1/15)
Prosek, James. Bird/Butterfly/Eel. Simon & Schuster, 2009.
“Follows a bird, a monarch butterfly, and an eel from summer on a farm until they make their respective fall voyages south, and then later begin to return north again when the weather warms.”
Rockwell, Anne. My Spring Robin. Illustrated by Harlow Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell. Aladdin, 2017.
As a young child looks forward to the return of the robin she heard last year, she encounters other signs of spring. (5/17)
Rockwell, Lizzy. A Bird Is a Bird. Holiday House, 2015.
Birds have beaks; so does a platypus. Birds have wings; so does a fly. For the youngest child, Rockwell takes a careful looks at what distinguishes birds from other animals, and how they use their special attributes. The arresting cover illustration of a Black-necked Stilt with chicks is an added come-on for young birders of the Bay Area. (3/15)
Roth, Susan L. and Cindy Trumbore. Parrots Over Puerto Rico. Lee & Low, 2013.
“Once hundreds of thousands of Puerto Rican parrots flew over the islands. By 1975, only thirteen parrots were left in the rain forest. “ Lively fabric collage illustrations help show how the story of Puerto Rico’s parrots is intertwined with the island’s history and its people, and how these birds nearly disappeared before scientists came to the rescue. Winner of the 2014 Robert F. Sibert Award for children’s nonfiction, given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. (5/14)
Ruth, Maria Mudd. Hawks and Falcons. New York: Benchmark Books, 2004.
“Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, habitat, and endangered status of hawks and falcons.”
Schulman, Janet. Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.
“ A red tail hawk and his mate build their nest near the top of a Fifth Avenue apartment building and bird watchers gather hoping to see the chicks in the nest.”
Sill, Cathryn. About Raptors; A Guide for Children. Illustrated by John Sill. Peachtree, 2010.
One short sentence per page, opposite large, colorful illustrations, introduces young children to a variety of raptors from across the world, explaining their common characteristics and differences. At the end, a brief paragraph elaborates on each bird for older children, detailing food, habitat, or hunting style. (5/16)
Silver, Donald M. One Small Square: Seashore. McGraw, 1993.
This book explores the interactions among birds and other creatures of the sandy beach and rocky shore. It also includes suggestions for studying, monitoring, sketching and collecting. (1/14)
Singer, Marilyn. Eggs. See Aston, above.
Stewart, Melissa. Feathers: Not Just for Flying. Illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. Charlesbridge, 2014.
Making sounds, attracting mates, keeping warm and clean, providing camouflage; these are just some of the many jobs feathers do. Simple text for the very young child is followed by explanations for older (or growing) readers. Illustrations are both attractive and informative. The author takes the trouble to point out, in back matter, that collecting feathers is prohibited. (6/14)
Stewart, Melissa. A Place for Birds. Illus. Higgins Bond. Peachtree Publishers, 2009, 2015.
Protecting beaches for safe nesting, placing nest boxes for cavity-dwellers, restoring grassy areas, avoiding pollution - these and other ways that people can protect habitat and create or restore bird life are presented in picture book format for young children. Sidebars offer additional information for older readers. Celebrate the holidays by introducing young readers to a variety of birds and their needs. (12/15)
Taylor, Marianne. How Birds Work; An Illustrated Guide to the Wonders of Form and Function, From Bones to Beak. Illustrated with photos and drawings. Peachtree The Experiment/UniPress, 2020.
A full overview of the systems of bird bodies, with an introductory look at evolution. Two-page spreads on each subtopic are accompanied by colorful photos and explanatory drawings. For older readers. (12/21)
Thornhill, Jan.. The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk. Toronto, Groundwood, 2016.
"Less than four centuries ago, hundreds of thousands of these magnificent birds lived in the frigid seas between Europe and North America. Now there are none. So what happened?" Thornhill introduces multiple causes: a warming ocean, human predators, wings perfectly adapted for swimming but not for flying. Then, step by step, she details the inevitable: "but then humans became seafarers...but then the Europeans arrived...but then disaster struck." Beautifully illustrated, this is a sobering introduction to extinction for early and middle-grade readers. (1/17)
Thornhill, Jan. The Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow. Toronto and Berkeley, Groundwood Books, 2018.
A lively history of the origins and spread of a bird that has been celebrated and reviled throughout most of the inhabitated world. (2/19)
Turner, Pamela S. Crow Smarts; Inside the Brain of the World's Brightest Bird. Photographs by Andy Comins, art by Guido de Filippo. (Scientists in the Field series.) Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.
"Is a crow smarter than a second-grader?" asks the author. New Caledonian Crows are one of only five animal species known to make multiple kinds of tools, and the only one other than humans known to make tools with hooks. Turner accompanies researchers testing these crows to learn more about their remarkable abilities. (12/16)
Twine, Alice. Ducks=Patos. Traducción en español, José María Obregón. New York: PowerKids Press and Editorial Buenas Letras, 2008.
“Simple text and photographs present the physical characteristics and behavior of ducklings.” Bilingual.
Valéro, Geraldo. My Book of Birds. Illustrated by John Sill. Groundwood, 2016.
In this attractive introduction, an artist who grew up in Brazil and now lives in Canada presents representative North American birds using paper collage. Large format allows the illustrations to fill the pages, while brief factual text introduces a variety of traits. Endpapers depict the eggs and feathers of each species. (6/16)
Ward, Jennifer. How to Find a Bird. Illustrated by Diana Sudyka Beach Lane, 2020.
For young children, suggestions on where to look and how to go about finding a wide variety of birds. Basics of size, shape, coloration and behavior guide two children (and readers) as they explore different habitats and their residents. (2/21)
Webb, Sophie. Looking for Seabirds; Journal from an Alaskan Voyage. Houghton Mifflin, 2004.
Webb's pictorial journal describes a pelagic trip on which she joined biologists and marine scientists to census and sketch birds. Though details of bird life are sparse, they're telling; and she provides a good idea of what life at sea in cold, wet weather is like. Good background for families planning trips to coastal Alaska or the Aleutians, or pelagic trips to the Farallons. (2/15)
Willis, Nancy Carol. Red Knot; A Shorebird's Incredible Journey. Birdsong Books, 2006.
While the Red Knot depicted here migrates along the east coast of the U.S., its astounding long-distance journey and life cycle should be known to anyone interested in migration. Simple text and bold illustrations also show the seasonal change of plumage and the process of banding. Back matter explains banding in more detail and includes a glossary. Challenge: can you find one small numerical error? (Hint: watch for the word "butter.")
(8/16)
POETRY
Bulion, Leslie. Superlative Birds. Illustrations by Robert Meganck. Atlanta, Peachtree, 2019.
Poems and scientific facts accompanied by witty illustrations introduce the smallest, fastest, smelliest, and a variety of other birds from the list of possible world records. (4/19)
Fleischman, Paul. I Am Phoenix; Poems for Two Voices. Illustrations by Ken Nutt. New York: Harper, 1985.
Written for two readers (or groups), Fleischman's fifteen brief poems present a surprising amount of information about a variety of species while providing a perfect opportunity for performance. (4/17)
Florian, Douglas. On the Wing: Bird Poems and Paintings. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1996.
“A collection of poems about birds such as the Emperor penguin, rhinoceros hornbill and whooping crane.”
Frost, Helen. Hello, I’m Here! Photographs by Rick Lieder. Sommerville, MA, Candlewick, 2019.
The first day of life for a Sandhill Crane chick is a busy one – hatching, swimming, finding food, and resting with Mama. (6/21)
George, Kristine O'Connell. Hummingbird Nest; A Journal of Poems. Illustrated by Barry Moser. Harcourt, 2004.
From the first sign of nesting until the young have fledged, a family follows the progress of an Anna's Hummingbird nest. This brief text can be read aloud to young children or independently by older ones. Back pages add a thoughtful author's note, additional facts about hummingbirds, and a bibliography. (4/16)
Gianferrari, Maria. Whoo-Ku Haiku; A Great Horned Owl Story. Illustrated by Jonathan Voss. New York, Putnam, 2020.
Brief text, all in haiku; bold paintings in ink and watercolor. This strong story follows a pair of owls from nesting through their chicks’ fledging and dispersal. (10/20)
Vande Griek, Susan. Hawks Kettle, Puffins Wheel, And Other Poems of Birds in Flight. Illustrations by Mark Hoffman. Toronto, Kids Can Press, 2019.
Poems in free verse alternate with brief explanations of each birds’s style of flight and the science of flying. Boldly stylized illustrations add to the descriptive poems; a glossary and additional facts about each bird are appended. (2/20)
Yolen, Jane. An Egret’s Day; Poems. Illus. Jason Stemple (photos). Honesdale, PA: Wordsong, 2010.
“Combines poetry and factual text about egrets, describing how these elegant birds walk, eat, and fly and how their plumes were once in demand for adorning clothes and hats.”
Poems and scientific facts accompanied by witty illustrations introduce the smallest, fastest, smelliest, and a variety of other birds from the list of possible world records. (4/19)
Fleischman, Paul. I Am Phoenix; Poems for Two Voices. Illustrations by Ken Nutt. New York: Harper, 1985.
Written for two readers (or groups), Fleischman's fifteen brief poems present a surprising amount of information about a variety of species while providing a perfect opportunity for performance. (4/17)
Florian, Douglas. On the Wing: Bird Poems and Paintings. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1996.
“A collection of poems about birds such as the Emperor penguin, rhinoceros hornbill and whooping crane.”
Frost, Helen. Hello, I’m Here! Photographs by Rick Lieder. Sommerville, MA, Candlewick, 2019.
The first day of life for a Sandhill Crane chick is a busy one – hatching, swimming, finding food, and resting with Mama. (6/21)
George, Kristine O'Connell. Hummingbird Nest; A Journal of Poems. Illustrated by Barry Moser. Harcourt, 2004.
From the first sign of nesting until the young have fledged, a family follows the progress of an Anna's Hummingbird nest. This brief text can be read aloud to young children or independently by older ones. Back pages add a thoughtful author's note, additional facts about hummingbirds, and a bibliography. (4/16)
Gianferrari, Maria. Whoo-Ku Haiku; A Great Horned Owl Story. Illustrated by Jonathan Voss. New York, Putnam, 2020.
Brief text, all in haiku; bold paintings in ink and watercolor. This strong story follows a pair of owls from nesting through their chicks’ fledging and dispersal. (10/20)
Vande Griek, Susan. Hawks Kettle, Puffins Wheel, And Other Poems of Birds in Flight. Illustrations by Mark Hoffman. Toronto, Kids Can Press, 2019.
Poems in free verse alternate with brief explanations of each birds’s style of flight and the science of flying. Boldly stylized illustrations add to the descriptive poems; a glossary and additional facts about each bird are appended. (2/20)
Yolen, Jane. An Egret’s Day; Poems. Illus. Jason Stemple (photos). Honesdale, PA: Wordsong, 2010.
“Combines poetry and factual text about egrets, describing how these elegant birds walk, eat, and fly and how their plumes were once in demand for adorning clothes and hats.”
FICTION: For Reading Aloud and Early Readers
Baylor, Byrd. Hawk, I’m Your Brother. Illus. Peter Parnall. New York: Scribner, 1996.
“Determined to learn to fly, Rudy adopts a hawk hoping that their kinship will bring him closer to his goal.”
Bogan, Carmen. Where’s Rodney? Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. San Francisco, Yosemite Conservancy, 2017.
Rodney is too antsy to pay attention in class, but when he’s finally free to enjoy the out-of-doors he’s ecstatic – and shows that he’s been learning all along. (7/20)
Bunting, Eve. Ducky. Illustrated by David Wisniewski. New York, Clarion Books, 1997.
A plastic bath toy washed overboard en route from Asia to Seattle tells his own story of adventure and rescue. (5/19)
Davies, Nicola. King of the Sky. Illustrated by Laura Carlin. Boston, Walker Books, 2017.
An old man whose love of racing pigeons sustains him in ill health gives a lonely immigrant boy a sense of belonging when he teaches the boy to race homing pigeons. This timely, bittersweet picture book for all ages is on several lists of 2017's best-illustrated books. (12/
17)
Ericsson, Jennifer A. Whoo Goes There? Illus. Bert Kitchen. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2009.
“Cumulative story of a hungry owl watching for his dinner.”
Fleming, Denise. This is the Nest that Robin Built, with a little help from her friends. New York, Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, 2018.
Clever collage-and-print illustrations enhance this twist on "the house that Jack built." Repetitive rhyming will help preschoolers remember the steps in this nest-building effort, right up to the moment of fledging. [5/18]
Flett, Julie. Birdsong. Vancouver, BC, Canada, Greystone Kids, 2019.
Moving from city to country, a Cree girl is shy and lonely until she meets a fellow artist, an older woman who shares her interest in nature. Poignant, as the woman ages but is cheered by the child’s art. (7/20)
Gianferrari, Maria. Coyote Moon. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Roaring Brook Press, 2016.
Though not a bird book, this picture book follows a coyote - whose pups are prey for hawks, and whose meals include birds, when they can be caught - through one night's hunting. Text simple enough for preschoolers gives a realistic look at the world of a predator parent and the need to hunt, and at one of our local residents. (10/16)
Gianferrari, Maria. Hawk Rising. Illustrations by Brian Floca. New York, Roaring Brook, 2018.
A pair of red-tailed hawks and their chicks wake, and a young girl watches from her window as the male begins his hunting day. Beautifully detailed illustrations capture the grim business of hunting, missing, and finally catching dinner for the hungry chicks, and the story provides wonderful opportunities for discussion. (8/18)
Gilbert, Suzie. Hawk Hill. Illus. Sylvia Long. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1996.
“Pete moves to a new town and discovers a rehabilitation center for birds of prey.”
Gravel, Elise. Arlo & Pips: King of the Birds. HarperAlley, 2020.
A bragging crow and a small yellow bird become friends in this comic-style picture book, revealing facts about crows through their adventures and their developing friendship. (5/21)
Hopkinson, Deborah. Bluebird Summer. Illus. by Bethanne Andersen. Greenwillow, 2001.
When Grandma died, the bluebirds stopped coming. Throughout this gentle exploration of a family's recovery from sorrow, Hopkinson weaves details of birds' needs for food, water and shelter as the children and their grandfather gradually encourage the bluebirds to return. Back matter adds details about bluebird species and habits. (8/14)
Jenkins, Martin. Bird Builds a Nest; A First Science Storybook. Illustrated by Richard Jones. Somerville, MA, Candlewick Press, 2018.
Crisp, stylized illustrations help to convey the action in this simply told picture book. Gathering twigs and feathers, weaving them into shape, Bird works methodically while the author quietly seeds information about motion and force. Bird information is modest, but the concepts are clearly presented and should provoke thought and observation from the youngest. [4/18]
Johnston, Tony. The Barn Owls. Illus. Deborah Kogan Ray. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2000.
“For at least 100 years, generations of barn owls have slept, hunted, called, raised their young, and glided silently above the wheat fields around an old barn.”
Lemniscates, Carme. Birds. Somerville, MA, Candlewick Studio, 2019.
A young, brown girl shares her pleasure in the great variety of birds and their lives. For the youngest children. (7/20)
Lowry, Lois. Crow Call. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. New York, Scholastic, 2009.
Groping to develop a relationship with her father, just home from World War II, young Liz accompanies him on a crow-hunting trip. Uneasy around his gun and with the word "hunter," she is concerned for the crows that eat the crops. "What if they have babies?" she asks. When she succeeds in using a crow call to stir up the crows, she also discovers her father's sensitivity both toward her and toward the birds. Delicate telling and softly beautiful illustrations make this a compelling tale of values. (10/14)
Matheson, Christie. Bird Watch. New York, Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2019.
A seek-and-find counting game for preschoolers that will keep them (and adults as well) looking for and counting birds. (6/19)
Meisel, Paul. My Tiny Life by Ruby T. Hummingbird. New York, Holiday House, 2021.
In diary form, Ruby T. traces his first year from hatching and fledging, through a summer of learning, migration to Central America, and back to his birthplace and a potential mate. (6/21)
Nadon, Yves. We Are Brothers. Illustrated by Jean Claverie. Mankata, MN, Creative, 2018.
The only bird here is the African-American boy who conquers his fear and leaps from a high bluff into the waiting swimming hole below – but he feels like one! (7/20)
Rockwell, Anne. Hiking Day. Illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell. New York, Aladdin, 2018.
An African-Amerian family sets out for a hike in the country, enjoying the wildlife they see along the way. For very young children. (7/20)
Thompson, Mya. Ruby’s Birds. Illustrated by Claudia Dávila. CornellLab Publishing Group, 2019.
Ruby, a young New Yorker who loves to sing, learns to identify her first bird in Central Park with a neighbor who learned the same Golden-winged Warbler while growing up in Costa Rica, where it winters. (2/22)
Vande Griek, Susan. Loon. Pictures by Karen Reczuch. Toronto, Groundwood, 2011.
Two newborn Common Loon chicks spend the summer with their parents on a northern lake before striking out for the open ocean, where they grow to maturity over three or four years before returning to find mates in the north. (6/21)
Waddell, Martin. Owl Babies. Illus. Patrick Benson. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2000.
“Three baby owls awake one night to find their mother missing. ‘Where’s mommy?’ they wonder.”
Yolen, Jane. Crow Not Crow. Illustrated by Elizabeth Dulemba. CornellLab Publishing Group, 2018.
A young girl’s father shows her how to begin birding by learning one bird and then distinguishing all others from it. For beginning readers and early birders. (2/22)
Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon. Illus. John Schoenherr. New York: Philomel, 1987.
“On a winter’s night under a full moon, a father and daughter trek into the woods to see the Great Horned Owl.” Winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal.
“Determined to learn to fly, Rudy adopts a hawk hoping that their kinship will bring him closer to his goal.”
Bogan, Carmen. Where’s Rodney? Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. San Francisco, Yosemite Conservancy, 2017.
Rodney is too antsy to pay attention in class, but when he’s finally free to enjoy the out-of-doors he’s ecstatic – and shows that he’s been learning all along. (7/20)
Bunting, Eve. Ducky. Illustrated by David Wisniewski. New York, Clarion Books, 1997.
A plastic bath toy washed overboard en route from Asia to Seattle tells his own story of adventure and rescue. (5/19)
Davies, Nicola. King of the Sky. Illustrated by Laura Carlin. Boston, Walker Books, 2017.
An old man whose love of racing pigeons sustains him in ill health gives a lonely immigrant boy a sense of belonging when he teaches the boy to race homing pigeons. This timely, bittersweet picture book for all ages is on several lists of 2017's best-illustrated books. (12/
17)
Ericsson, Jennifer A. Whoo Goes There? Illus. Bert Kitchen. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2009.
“Cumulative story of a hungry owl watching for his dinner.”
Fleming, Denise. This is the Nest that Robin Built, with a little help from her friends. New York, Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, 2018.
Clever collage-and-print illustrations enhance this twist on "the house that Jack built." Repetitive rhyming will help preschoolers remember the steps in this nest-building effort, right up to the moment of fledging. [5/18]
Flett, Julie. Birdsong. Vancouver, BC, Canada, Greystone Kids, 2019.
Moving from city to country, a Cree girl is shy and lonely until she meets a fellow artist, an older woman who shares her interest in nature. Poignant, as the woman ages but is cheered by the child’s art. (7/20)
Gianferrari, Maria. Coyote Moon. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Roaring Brook Press, 2016.
Though not a bird book, this picture book follows a coyote - whose pups are prey for hawks, and whose meals include birds, when they can be caught - through one night's hunting. Text simple enough for preschoolers gives a realistic look at the world of a predator parent and the need to hunt, and at one of our local residents. (10/16)
Gianferrari, Maria. Hawk Rising. Illustrations by Brian Floca. New York, Roaring Brook, 2018.
A pair of red-tailed hawks and their chicks wake, and a young girl watches from her window as the male begins his hunting day. Beautifully detailed illustrations capture the grim business of hunting, missing, and finally catching dinner for the hungry chicks, and the story provides wonderful opportunities for discussion. (8/18)
Gilbert, Suzie. Hawk Hill. Illus. Sylvia Long. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1996.
“Pete moves to a new town and discovers a rehabilitation center for birds of prey.”
Gravel, Elise. Arlo & Pips: King of the Birds. HarperAlley, 2020.
A bragging crow and a small yellow bird become friends in this comic-style picture book, revealing facts about crows through their adventures and their developing friendship. (5/21)
Hopkinson, Deborah. Bluebird Summer. Illus. by Bethanne Andersen. Greenwillow, 2001.
When Grandma died, the bluebirds stopped coming. Throughout this gentle exploration of a family's recovery from sorrow, Hopkinson weaves details of birds' needs for food, water and shelter as the children and their grandfather gradually encourage the bluebirds to return. Back matter adds details about bluebird species and habits. (8/14)
Jenkins, Martin. Bird Builds a Nest; A First Science Storybook. Illustrated by Richard Jones. Somerville, MA, Candlewick Press, 2018.
Crisp, stylized illustrations help to convey the action in this simply told picture book. Gathering twigs and feathers, weaving them into shape, Bird works methodically while the author quietly seeds information about motion and force. Bird information is modest, but the concepts are clearly presented and should provoke thought and observation from the youngest. [4/18]
Johnston, Tony. The Barn Owls. Illus. Deborah Kogan Ray. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2000.
“For at least 100 years, generations of barn owls have slept, hunted, called, raised their young, and glided silently above the wheat fields around an old barn.”
Lemniscates, Carme. Birds. Somerville, MA, Candlewick Studio, 2019.
A young, brown girl shares her pleasure in the great variety of birds and their lives. For the youngest children. (7/20)
Lowry, Lois. Crow Call. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. New York, Scholastic, 2009.
Groping to develop a relationship with her father, just home from World War II, young Liz accompanies him on a crow-hunting trip. Uneasy around his gun and with the word "hunter," she is concerned for the crows that eat the crops. "What if they have babies?" she asks. When she succeeds in using a crow call to stir up the crows, she also discovers her father's sensitivity both toward her and toward the birds. Delicate telling and softly beautiful illustrations make this a compelling tale of values. (10/14)
Matheson, Christie. Bird Watch. New York, Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2019.
A seek-and-find counting game for preschoolers that will keep them (and adults as well) looking for and counting birds. (6/19)
Meisel, Paul. My Tiny Life by Ruby T. Hummingbird. New York, Holiday House, 2021.
In diary form, Ruby T. traces his first year from hatching and fledging, through a summer of learning, migration to Central America, and back to his birthplace and a potential mate. (6/21)
Nadon, Yves. We Are Brothers. Illustrated by Jean Claverie. Mankata, MN, Creative, 2018.
The only bird here is the African-American boy who conquers his fear and leaps from a high bluff into the waiting swimming hole below – but he feels like one! (7/20)
Rockwell, Anne. Hiking Day. Illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell. New York, Aladdin, 2018.
An African-Amerian family sets out for a hike in the country, enjoying the wildlife they see along the way. For very young children. (7/20)
Thompson, Mya. Ruby’s Birds. Illustrated by Claudia Dávila. CornellLab Publishing Group, 2019.
Ruby, a young New Yorker who loves to sing, learns to identify her first bird in Central Park with a neighbor who learned the same Golden-winged Warbler while growing up in Costa Rica, where it winters. (2/22)
Vande Griek, Susan. Loon. Pictures by Karen Reczuch. Toronto, Groundwood, 2011.
Two newborn Common Loon chicks spend the summer with their parents on a northern lake before striking out for the open ocean, where they grow to maturity over three or four years before returning to find mates in the north. (6/21)
Waddell, Martin. Owl Babies. Illus. Patrick Benson. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2000.
“Three baby owls awake one night to find their mother missing. ‘Where’s mommy?’ they wonder.”
Yolen, Jane. Crow Not Crow. Illustrated by Elizabeth Dulemba. CornellLab Publishing Group, 2018.
A young girl’s father shows her how to begin birding by learning one bird and then distinguishing all others from it. For beginning readers and early birders. (2/22)
Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon. Illus. John Schoenherr. New York: Philomel, 1987.
“On a winter’s night under a full moon, a father and daughter trek into the woods to see the Great Horned Owl.” Winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal.
FICTION: For Older/Independent Readers
Avi. Blue Heron. New York: Bradbury Press, 1992.
“While spending the month of August on the Massachusetts shore with her father, stepmother and their new baby, almost thirteen-year-old Maggie finds beauty in and draws strength from a great blue heron, even as the family around her unravels.”
George, Jean Craighead. Charlie's Raven. New York: Dutton, 2004.
Spending the summer with his grandfather, an aging ornithologist, Charlie learns about bird behavior, observer bias and, most importantly, about what it takes to be a scientist. A wonderful look at corvid intelligence and the parallel growth of birds and humans. (7/15)
George, Jean Craighead. There’s an Owl in the Shower. New York: Harper, 1995. “Because protecting spotted owls has cost Borden’s father his job as a logger in the old growth forest of northern California, Borden intends to kill any spotted owl he sees, until he and his father find themselves taking care of a young owlet.” By the author of the award-winning My Side of the Mountain, which concerns a boy and his friendship with a Peregrine Falcon.
Hiassen, Carl. Hoot. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2002.
“Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy’s attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.”
Lorentz, Dayna. Of a Feather Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 2021.
A young girl displaced by her mother’s illness meets an owl fledgling whose mother has been struck by a car. A wildlife rehabilitator helps both to discover new strengths as they find their places in the world. (4/21)
Mukerji, Dhan Gopal: Gay-Neck; The Story of a Pigeon. Dutton, 1927. SEE Eichler, above.
McCullough, Joy. Across the Pond. Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. Atheneum, 2021.
A girl transplanted from California to Scotland finds friendship and new strengths through her discovery of “twitching” and a bird-watching group. (7/21)
Samworth, Kate. Aviary Wonders Inc. Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual; Renewing the World's Bird Supply Since 2031. Clarion, 2014.
With tongue firmly in cheek, this "manual" for constructing new and revised versions of vanished or vanishing birds could provide hours of holiday entertainment while making subtle ecological points. Beaks, wings, feet, tails, feathers in flamboyant patterns and colors can be interchanged at will on bodies of all sorts. Beak and wing shapes and other features are accurately represented; observant youngsters can learn a great deal about bird structure while "constructing" imaginary creatures. Instructions for assembly and teaching your bird to sing are included. Fun for the whole family. (12/14)
Schmidt, Gary D. Okay for Now. New York: Clarion Books, 2011.
“As a fourteen-year-old who has just moved to a new town, with no friends, an abusive father, and a louse for an older brother, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him until he finds an ally in Lil Spicer – a fiery young lady. Together, they find a safe haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of John James Audubon’s birds, and a hilarious adventure on a Broadway stage.”
Spinelli, Jerry. Wringer. Harper, 1997.
The town of Waymer funds park maintenance with an annual pigeon-shooting contest. Palmer is torn between the friendship of tough boys and his deep sense that killing the captive birds is somehow wrong. This fable-like middle school novel is told with deep insight into cruelty and the instinct that rejects it. A 1998 Newbery Honor Book. (9/16)
Timberlake, Amy: One Came Home. Knopf, 2013. SEE Eichler, above.
Voigt, Cynthia. Little Bird. Illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins. Greenwillow, 2020.
When her family’s good-luck charm is stollen by a fisher, Little Bird sets out to retrieve it, discovering the wider world and finding her way to independence. (5/21)
“While spending the month of August on the Massachusetts shore with her father, stepmother and their new baby, almost thirteen-year-old Maggie finds beauty in and draws strength from a great blue heron, even as the family around her unravels.”
George, Jean Craighead. Charlie's Raven. New York: Dutton, 2004.
Spending the summer with his grandfather, an aging ornithologist, Charlie learns about bird behavior, observer bias and, most importantly, about what it takes to be a scientist. A wonderful look at corvid intelligence and the parallel growth of birds and humans. (7/15)
George, Jean Craighead. There’s an Owl in the Shower. New York: Harper, 1995. “Because protecting spotted owls has cost Borden’s father his job as a logger in the old growth forest of northern California, Borden intends to kill any spotted owl he sees, until he and his father find themselves taking care of a young owlet.” By the author of the award-winning My Side of the Mountain, which concerns a boy and his friendship with a Peregrine Falcon.
Hiassen, Carl. Hoot. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2002.
“Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy’s attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.”
Lorentz, Dayna. Of a Feather Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 2021.
A young girl displaced by her mother’s illness meets an owl fledgling whose mother has been struck by a car. A wildlife rehabilitator helps both to discover new strengths as they find their places in the world. (4/21)
Mukerji, Dhan Gopal: Gay-Neck; The Story of a Pigeon. Dutton, 1927. SEE Eichler, above.
McCullough, Joy. Across the Pond. Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. Atheneum, 2021.
A girl transplanted from California to Scotland finds friendship and new strengths through her discovery of “twitching” and a bird-watching group. (7/21)
Samworth, Kate. Aviary Wonders Inc. Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual; Renewing the World's Bird Supply Since 2031. Clarion, 2014.
With tongue firmly in cheek, this "manual" for constructing new and revised versions of vanished or vanishing birds could provide hours of holiday entertainment while making subtle ecological points. Beaks, wings, feet, tails, feathers in flamboyant patterns and colors can be interchanged at will on bodies of all sorts. Beak and wing shapes and other features are accurately represented; observant youngsters can learn a great deal about bird structure while "constructing" imaginary creatures. Instructions for assembly and teaching your bird to sing are included. Fun for the whole family. (12/14)
Schmidt, Gary D. Okay for Now. New York: Clarion Books, 2011.
“As a fourteen-year-old who has just moved to a new town, with no friends, an abusive father, and a louse for an older brother, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him until he finds an ally in Lil Spicer – a fiery young lady. Together, they find a safe haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of John James Audubon’s birds, and a hilarious adventure on a Broadway stage.”
Spinelli, Jerry. Wringer. Harper, 1997.
The town of Waymer funds park maintenance with an annual pigeon-shooting contest. Palmer is torn between the friendship of tough boys and his deep sense that killing the captive birds is somehow wrong. This fable-like middle school novel is told with deep insight into cruelty and the instinct that rejects it. A 1998 Newbery Honor Book. (9/16)
Timberlake, Amy: One Came Home. Knopf, 2013. SEE Eichler, above.
Voigt, Cynthia. Little Bird. Illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins. Greenwillow, 2020.
When her family’s good-luck charm is stollen by a fisher, Little Bird sets out to retrieve it, discovering the wider world and finding her way to independence. (5/21)