Dudley Carlson's Kids Bird Book Recommendation for the Holidays

By Guest Blogger Dudley Carlson

​Growing up, my brothers and I knew better than to expect lots of gifts at Christmas time. Nuts and oranges in our stockings, topped with a peppermint stick; new shoes; and one or two special gifts were about it, except for the handful of small packages that came in the mail from relatives. As little kids, we played with blocks, a doll or two, and Lincoln logs; as we got older, we rode bikes or skated.

Contrast that with today's closets full of toys. With the gift-giving holidays approaching, how does a distant relative know what to ...

give a much-loved child a thousand miles away? My solution is to give books. And given the state of the world, we could all do worse than give our children the best books available on natural history in hopes of sparking or encouraging their interest in the world around them and its value to all of us.

Herewith, then, is the list of books that SFBBO shares at family events. Most of the books listed are available online (and will earn a contribution to SFBBO if you order through smile.amazon.com) or at bookstores. If you can't find what you want there, visit your public library after the holidays, and borrow a bag full for Ski Week.

​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.