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What a fantastic book about birds. I heard about this nonfiction book from a blog I follow, so I picked it up from the library. The illustrations inside are beautiful and most of the them are life-like. The book is filled with information that will please most bird enthusiast and I feel that this book would look beautiful on a coffee table even though it is a labeled a child’s nonfiction book.
The book begins with a detailed table of contents for those who are searching for specifics. The categories range from birds in stories and art, bird characteristics, bird records, saving the birds, birds in your yard, state birds (U.S.) and birdsongs, just to name a few. I didn’t read everything in this book as there is a lot to read but what I did read was educational and interesting. There is great information on each page and I wish I had the memory to remember everything that I had read. I did read the article on birdsongs and I learned a great deal on how birds sing. It was fascinating to learn how birds learn their songs and I also learned that a whole flock of birds will have the same songs but also that smaller groups within these same birds, will create their own songs based on where they live. As I looked over the illustrations, most of them had text boxes of interesting facts. I liked that the birds on the pages were labeled so I could tell exactly what type of bird I was looking at and didn’t have to go hunting for it.
The illustrations are life-like and most of the illustrations take up the majority of the page. Looking at the Vervain Hummingbird, she looks big as she feeds her babies on the page but as I read the text-box, I realize that her nest is half the size of a walnut shell and it is the smallest nest of all birds. By looking at this illustration, I would have never known that. There are a few illustrations that are drawings in this book. These drawings are very detailed and beautiful. I liked the information and illustrations about the birds in my own yard. I learned about seeds, bird baths, and about which houses are best for which birds. These weren’t complicated, drawn-out explanations but good directions with clear photos.
A fantastic book that I highly recommend. A book that has made it’s way into my shopping chart.
