About Birds: A Guide for Children

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Various species of North American birds fly, swim and run across the pages of this picture-book field guide. for beginning birders. Lucid text provides basic information on general bird habits--``Birds may flock together''; ``Birds use their bills to gather food''--while lifelike watercolors offer visual clues to their natural habitats. The crisp illustrations carefully highlight the physical markings and relative sizes of birds for easy identification in the wild. For more advanced readers, a succinct afterword repeats the illustrations in black-and-white miniature and expands the book's text with more specific data. This volume is a true treat for the ecologically minded and especially for budding ornithologists. Ages 3-8. (Oct.)

Children's Literature - Dr. Judy Rowen

A stunning book with lovingly rendered and detailed paintings of birds. Simple statements such as "birds have feathers" are accompanied by full-color illustrations on the facing page. The birds are identified in captions and further information is outlined in an appendix. It provides a wonderful introduction to the world of birds that can be used to stimulate further interest and discussion. Birds are an accessible part of the natural realm for all children, and this book can help you share the beauty of that world with them.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-- Exceptionally detailed and uniformly accurate watercolors are each accompanied by a line of descriptive text that offers one straightforward fact about birds: ``Birds have feathers.'' ``Birds travel in different ways.'' ``Most birds fly,'' ``but some swim,'' ``and others run.'' Many are species young people are likely to encounter (Canada goose and American robin), while others (the greater roadrunner or the great horned owl) may be more difficult to locate. The illustrations depict the birds in their appropriate habitats. An afterword adds slightly more detailed information about each species, including the sizes of the nine birds. Little else on this subject exists at such a young level and the Sills succeed admirably in offering a basic introduction to the unique characteristics of birds. Minor quibbles: sometimes only the male of the species is shown, at others both sexes are pictured; in neither instance are readers given any aid in determining gender. In spite of these problems, most librarians will find this a priority purchase since it will fill a niche in their collections. --Ellen Fader, Westport Public Library, CT