Q: Why should you check out these bird books at your local library?
A: Because they're going cheep! (100 checkouts permitted with each library card)
January 5th is National Bird Day and so you can take this month to learn about birds with your little ones by checking out some fiction and nonfiction picture books. This is a good opportunity to introduce facts in a fun, entertaining way, or just to have a fun time talking about our feathery friends. The library has a lot of books available through our catalog, for pickup at our outside services, or ready for perusal during our browsing hours.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Fiction bird books:
- Hooray For Birds! by Lucy Cousins. In an exuberant display of color, this book invites little ones to imagine themselves as brilliant birds. Birds of all feathers flock together in a fun, rhyme-filled offering by the creator of Maisy. From the rooster's "cock-a-doodle-doo" at dawn to the owl's nighttime "tuwit, tuwoo," the cheeps and tweets of many bright and beautiful avian friends will have children eager to join in as honorary fledglings.Image
- Five Little Chicks by Nancy Tafuri. Scrambling about the farm for breakfast, five little chicks find an array of strange snacks along their adventure, but Mama Hen knows what is best for them and so finally leads her family back to where they belong, in a simple counting tale with full-color illustrations and rhyming verse.Image
- No Two Alike by Keith Baker. Follows a pair of birds on a snowflake-filled journey through a winter landscape, where everything everywhere, from branches and leaves to forests full of trees, is unique. An extra fun book to read for kids who are curious about snow at this time of year.Image
- Birds by Kevin Henkes. Fascinated by the colors, shapes, sounds, and movements of the many different birds she sees through her window, a little girl is happy to discover that she and they have something in common. A good book to encourage interaction and imitation with the kids.Image
Non-Fiction bird books:
- Bring On the Birds by Susan Stockdale. Brightly colored, richly textured illustrations and an energetic rhyming text introduce young readers to distinctive birds and their unique qualities. This rhyming, non-fiction book introduces children to a variety of exotic and familiar birds.Image
- Mama Built A Little Nest by Jennifer Ward. Illustrations and simple, rhyming text introduce different kinds of birds' nests, from the scrapes falcons build on high, craggy ledges to the underground nests burrowing owls dig. Includes brief facts about each kind of bird.Image
- Vulture View by Aprill Pulley Sayre. In her signature poetic, energetic style, acclaimed nature writer April Pulley Sayre introduces young readers to the world of the turkey vulture. The gorgeous illustrations by Caldecott Honor–winning artist Steve Jenkins capture these birds in all their surprising majesty.Image
- A Bird Is A Bird by Lizzy Rockwell. Describes the unique features that birds have, including beaks, wings, and feathers, and how they are used by different varieties of birds.Image
If you are looking to reinforce the knowlege behind these books by exploring birds experientially, Gainesville has a wonderful zoo with self-guided or scheduled tours to see birds, as well as mammals, reptiles, invertebrates and so many more. The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo provides a friendly, outdoorsy, and excellent way to spend an afternoon.