Birds Books

I loved this book as a great intro to different kinds of birds that we actually see in our parks. But I think the story, as simple as it is, didn't capture my son.

I especially like this book as it can be read on at least two levels. The initial story is catchy with the rhyming words and plot. The older child can also enjoy learning about the various types of birds depicted in the story. It gives a mother or a teacher much to discuss with the child.

This book, along with TOP CAT by the same author, are my kids' favorite books (ages 6,4 and 2). And I love them, too! I never tire of reading them out loud, although both of my older children can recite the book and "read" it themselves now. We checked it out from the library and kept renewing it over and over because the kids loved it so much. We finally bought our own copy and I know the kids are going to fight over who gets to take it with them when they move out 15 or so years from now. :) It is a delightful story and I love how Ms. Ehlert labels everything. I especially like the details provided at the end regarding the birds shown throughout the book.

Another favorite of my 3 1/2 year-old daughter, along with "Top Cat" by the same author. Hmmm...is it possible that Top Cat or his little brother is the cat in "Feathers for Lunch"?

That aside, the pictures in this wonderful book allow a child a good first look at several North American birds, and the text introduces your child to their birdsong. All the birds are "drawn" (I believe they are actually designed by paper cut), to actual life-size.

This is a wonderful little book for children to learn some common American birds and their calls. The story is about a cat trying to catch a bird for lunch but the bell on the collar keeps giving him away, hence "feathers for lunch" but the illustrations are almost all birds such as the Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Morning Dove, House Wren, Northern Flicker, etc... My little boy actually likes Ehlert's "Top Cat" better, but this story has seen many readings. My boy can tell the difference between several birds that he sees in his backyard. Recommended for the little birders.

Gordimer Byrd is a very hard worker at the thimble factory. He wants more out of his life and is always looking for something magic that might change him. It's tired of the same old life doing the same things each day. He finds a special pebble that he believes is magic and takes it home. Find out what magic this pebble holds for Gordimer.



This story has a great message that all kids need today. The message seems to be that you should always make the best of every situation and Gordimer does just that!

Everyone images magic in their lives, and so does Gordimer, and lord knows there's enough fantasy in kids books (and play station games et al) to go around and around and around. The moral in this book is that magic does exist, but not in fairy tale form. It comes from celebrating the commonplace, and using it, in fresh and extraordinary ways. My eight-year old son loved the sense of mystery and wonderment that comes from the text and illustrations. My daughter (11) took it along on a babysitting gig. She read it to her five-year old charge who was delighted with the unwrapping stillness of the tone. My daughter brought it back and pointed out some of the magic in the illustrations themselves and challenged my son to find all of them, and he suprised her with a few discoveries she'd missed. Somehow, the writer captured the sense of discovery and wonder that life is all about in a kids book. It's a pleasure.

Who among us hasn't experienced Gordimer Byrd's brand of malaise? Unhappy with his station in life and bored in his job, he's about to give up on hope and finally accept his lot. In the process of letting go of his dream he discovers that he has the ability to fashion another kind with his own two wings. Out of lemons, Gordimer makes lemon chiffon pie. Robert Weinstock's character is a gentle inspiration that will be a special reminder for this adult.

My daughter (age 5) LOVES this book! It is a story about a bird who finds the magic in his own imagination. The writing is beautiful, clever and funny. The illustrations are outstanding. The story draws you in and takes you on an unexpected journey. From his mundane life working pecking dimples in a thimble factory, Gordimer Byrd discovers that ordinary objects can become spectacular treasures in his hands. As he discovers his own spark, you will too. The pages where Gordimer takes all of his "treasures" out of his closet and where he tries to get magic out of a not-so-magic pebble are especially memorable. This book is our new favorite. Finally a new book with depth and creativity in both the text and illustrations. BRAVO!

Gordimer's days are a mix of musky blues, greens and grays. He eats squash blossoms and pine nuts and he hangs out with Olivia Katz who wears glasses big enough to reflect all the things he loves.

My kids wanted me to read this book to them, over and over, so they could figure out the mysterious parts by studying the clues found in the stunning illusrations. Weinstock captures the yearning for magic that we all share. This is not just a book for children but for all adults who haven't given up the quest. I want more books about Gordimer!

This is a necessary book if you desire to handfeed wild birds.It is extremely hard to find this book,anywhere.Inside is a step by step guide to handfeeding your backyard birds,it is very useful and in a way, somewhat easy to do by following this book.This was one of the books I have looked most forward too in a long time,and I'm glad I now have it.If handfeeding your wild backyard birds is one of your things to do, I highly recommend this book as almost a necessity.

I recently ordered this book and was inspired to try it for myself. I enjoyed the photography and the author's anecdotes about his own experiences feeding birds. The book offers practical information and put together with a little patience on my part, I was able to get some chickadees into my hand within 2 1/2 weeks.

There are some things that make you just stop and stare in amazement. Seeing someone in the middle of a park calmly hand-feeding chickadees is one of those things. Chickadees aren't tame - they fly away from feeders when you approach! And yet, ANYBODY can learn how to hand-feed these and other birds.

If you're interested, definitely grab this book. It has gorgeous photos, and simple, step-by-step instructions. It tells you when to try this for best results, how go to about it, which sorts of birds respond best, how they tend to act, what they like to eat, and much, much more.

Definitely a great gift for any birder, and once your birder (or you!) learns the technique, it'll be a present that lasts them a lifetime!

If you are looking for a book that will teach you how to hand-feed back yard birds and if you would enjoy poignant anecdotes about birds that have come to the author's hand to feed year after year, you will love this book!
The photographs are gorgeous, the text is clear, organized and interesting, and you can't help love the gentle, friendly, kind man who writes about his love of birds and hand-feeding them.
Another good point about this book is ...it works! I followed Hugh Wiberg's suggestions and with patience and practise, won the trust of a dear little nuthatch. He comes to my hand every time I go the park.
The book, Hand-feeding Backyard Birds, started me on this hobby and taught me how to be successful. It is a wonderful book!

This book is a lot of fun - while also being realistic. The author tells you up front that you need to be patient, because it takes time to build the trust of birds. But once they do its such a joy! Reading through the book was inspiring and then in the winter I just bundled up and got out there. It was calming while at the same time exciting as the birds came closer and closer. Bundle up though - the best time to do this with the birds is winter since they're a bit short on food and it gets chilly out there.

This is the book to buy for little kids of all ages. The story is so sweet, the words so engaging, the illustrations and the colors so vivid and soothing at the same time. I'm delivering yet another copy to the smartest three-year-old I know in just a little while, and I can already imagine Nick holding this book and reading it to one of his kids. It's a classic, it's a work of art, it's a very wonderful teaching tool, but, best of all, it's got heart, and what more can you hope to show kids? Take a bow, Kel.

This little counting book in charming verse by Kelly Milner Halls is exactly the sort of thing to brighten up a child's day or your own. Kelly gives the little story gentle excitement which will stimulate a child and charm an adult. It is the kind of little morsel I would want to grace a coffee table forever. I also thought the illustrations unusual and darling.

Many will ask just what can one do with a counting book, but Kelly has managed to do something new while staying within comfortable and familiar bounds.

"There are far too many counting books, but this one delights and does the job. With Halls' crisp, peppy rhymes and adorable illustrations by an Atlanta artist, children will be counting before it even dawns on them." Julie Bookman, Atlanta Journal Constitution, April 1, 2000

Just add sound effects of your own (and get your child doing the same) and you'll get an idea of the delight on tap in this terrific read-aloud. Charming and childlike with the kind of warmth that'll have kids begging for re-reads.

"I Bought a Baby Chicken" is a cute story and a subtle counting book. During a family trip to the general store, the narrator sees a little chick and decides to buy it. Her sister picks up two black chicks, her dad likes three striped ones, and before you know it, the whole family - cousins, grandparents, great-grandparents - has gone cuckoo for chickens. "I guess my family's lucky that I didn't want a cow," concludes the narrator, who'd better hope her family doesn't suddenly develop a hankering for friend chicken or buffalo wings. Karen Stormer Brooks' google-eyed illustrations are as silly as the story. (by Claire Martin).

I read this book for my English project and it was very good! Very moving and it helped me understand the Great Depression and all the racism that black people had to go through....
Maya Angelou is a great writer, and this book was excellent!

Very interesting, I RECOMMEND IT!

I thought that this was a great book! Maya had a very difficult life growing up. I just could not figure out what she really wanted with her life.

Read the complete novel. The Cliff notes only offers a small portion of the love and enjoyment you will feel from this author's words.

Maya Angelou's written language is alive, and that's refreshing. There is a specific life-view from the standpoint of a black girl growing up, and it is uplifting how she meets her difficulties with confidence. Her humor in many situations made me laugh out loud. Yes, she is a gripping author, and the tidbits of wisdom shine through like rays of sunlight...

We had to read this novel by Maya Angelou and I thought it was a very good example of the way you should write. She used imagery and descriptives to show you,the reader, how it really was in her life. I LOVED IT !!!

This book received excellent reviews from the New York Times and other leading book reviewers because of its moving story. This is an intense little book, very easily read in an evening, about a year in the life of one of the last Eskimo Curlews in existence.

This book takes you on the migration journey of the Curlew and vividly illustrates its struggle for survival. It also showcases historical notes about the slaughter of the curlews in the late 1800's and the notes of alarm raised by scientists that unfortunately did not initiate conservation measures to help this species.

I had read one other book like this about the Passenger Pigeon, that told the story of a species and its struggle to avoid the slaughter of the market hunters of the 1800's. This book though is the best of the type as
Bodsworth is a skilled writer and is able to show the life of the Eskimo Curlew in heart-wrenching detail without anthropomorophism.

I would encourage everyone to read this and pass it around for others to read as it is quickly read but has powerful impact. To have some emotional concern or motivation to help protect threatened species of life on this earth you need empathy and this book is a masterpiece at producing that empathy.

A sad story of human greed and destruction, but one we all should read and learn from.

This is a wonderful, heart-wrenching short book, a fictionalization of the migration of a lone Eskimo Curlew from the arctic to South America and back.

The Eskimo Curlew was once a plentiful shorebird that was highly sought after by hunters because of the succulence of its flesh and the ease with which it could be taken. Usually flying in dense swarms, a score or more birds could be brought down by a single shotgun blast. In some cases so many were killed, that the hunters left those that could not be transported to market in massive piles. And so it came to pass that by the late 19th-century, the Eskimo Curlew population declined rapidly, to the point where it was virtually extinct at the time Bodsworth wrote the book.

Although a work of fiction, this is a book that should be read by everyone who has an interest in Nature and the environment.

This is a Classic and recognized as one of the finest Natural History books in North America as well as abroad.First published in 1955 it has been re-issued ,probably as many as 20 times over the years. Suffice it to say ,anyone with any interest in nature,birds, extinct species,conservation,preservation of species,would find this an excellent read.As a matter of fact,I would go so far as to suggest that after reading this book,one would probably agree it is the best natural history book they have ever read.Just look at the other reviews.
The main reason for my writing this review is to tell you that after reading 'The Last of the Curlews'you might want to read some of Bodsworth's other lesser known but also excellent works.
"The Strange One"
"The Sparrows Fall"
"The Atonement of Ashley Morden"
and,
"The Pacific Coast"

Another excellent thing about 'The Last of the Curlews' are the superb scratch board illustrations by T M Shortt,one of Canada's finest artists;so make sure they are in the edition you get.
With regards to my title...for several decades the search has continued without success.There have been a few reports of sightings,but none confirmed.There is a lot of territory in it's range,between the tip of South America and the Arctic Circle where there may be survivors...there's always hope.

I still see Fred on occasion;so let's hope we see another book from him soon.

Bodsworth is brilliant in his capacity to provide the reader with an emotionally arrousing text, supported by fascinating technical details of bird migration. I cannot imagine that anyone having even a remote interest in birds, nature or life, would not be moved by this great piece.

This is a very sweet bedtime story. My six & eight year olds both enjoy it!

I loved Little Pea so much that I was doubtful this book could reach such a high bar...I was surprised to find that I loved it just as much. Such a sweet tale of a little owl wanting to go to bed early and the parents wanting him/her to stay up late. A true delight to read! It even holds my almost 2 year old's attention.

Little Hoot is a sequel of sorts to Little Pea (a pea who has to eat candy in order to get a veggie dessert), only this time, it is an owl who wants to go bed early like all of his friends but has to stay up late so he can "grow up to be a wise owl". This is another "reverse psychology" story with charming illustrations by Jen Corace, and I especially loved the language in this one i.e. "I don't give a hoot what time your friends go to bed. In this family, we go to bed late. Rules of the roost." Fun for all those little "night owls" you know.

This book is so well written, and the illustrations are equally wonderful. We just bought this book and my little girl (almost 3) LOVES it!! I only wish I would have bought it sooner.

I have to agree with the other reviewers (all 5 stars at this point) and say that this book is delightful. My husband and I were cackling as we read it to our 4-year-old daughter. A very clever story that is simple enough to amuse children and adults. You won't regret reading this book to your child.

I'm the type of person who rarely reads books for fun. Most of what I read is for my work or on rare occasions I'll grab a book at the airport if I have a long flight. Half the time I'll get bored with it and won't finish it. I'm not even sure how this book ended up on my shelf but I grabbed it about a week ago when I had to go to the hospital and wait for my mother who was having an operation. I literally had a hard time putting it down. Of course it's not fiction but in some ways it reads like fiction in that it tells a story. At times it presents itself as a murder mystery; "What killed the dinosaurs?". Even though the outcome is given away by the title, it's still a fascinating story.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part covers various theories about the cause of the death of the dinosaurs at the end of the cretaceous. The second part in some ways refutes the first part by coming to the conclusion that dinosaurs never really died at all because birds are part of the dinosaur family. I know this is still somewhat of a contentious debate among some, but the book contains some pretty convincing evidence. It's a bit technical at times but you can always get the general idea of what the author is tying to convey.

Even though this book is chiefly about dinosaurs and birds it covers a lot of stuff not directly related to the main topic but interesting never the less. For instance I did not know about the Phylogenetic system of classification before I read it. This book explains it quite well so that someone like me, who is not well versed in biology can easily understand it.

This is an extremely thorough, yet readable treatment of the subject of the evolution of birds and the non-extinction of dinosaurs. The drawings in particular are excellent illustrations of the features of the lineages. The discussion of the evidence for the different causes of the extinction event that took most of the dinosaurs is clear and thorough. This is a must-read if you are interested in these issues!

This book rocked so hard it isn't even funny!! I have loved dinosaurs ever since I was a youngster, and still find myself quite fond of those wacky beasts. This book delivers when it comes to dinos. It basically includes two parts: one concerned with the theories of dino extinction(the meteorite-impact hypothesis is given paricular attention-perhaps because one of the authors was involved in research on this hypothesis), the other with dino evolution into birds. Both are written by experts, and more than that they are experts who know how to write in an engaging and easy to understand fashion that the non-expert can understand and appreciate. The prose made the book hard to put down, and the pictures of the biological poetry we call dinosaurs are enough to bring tears to the true dinosaur lovers eyes. So if you like dinosaurs, geology, or I would even say science in general, or are just a curious soul looking for new things to learn I highly recommend this book.

The Mistaken Extinction: Dinosaur Evolution and the Origin of Birds written by Lowell Dingus and Timothy Rowe is a dinosaur book that makes a difference. This is a frank account of how we know what we know about the dinosaurs and how the work can and should be approached. There are issues surrounding a dinosaur extinction as though they are elements in a scientific detective story; following a trail of geologic and paleontologic clues toward a solution. This book show the reader the way of intelligent thinking and the conclusions that make sense.

Over the course of this book, it will become clear that the questions being raised today actually have their roots in the debates that raged within the scientific community in the nineteenth century, when Dawin's theory of evolution first burst upon the scene. This book is divided into two parts.

The Search for the Smoking Gun is part 1. The eight chapters include: The Seductive Allure of Dinosaurs, Earlier Extinction Hypotheses, Contrating Volcanic and Impact Hypotheses, Enormoud Eruptions and Disappearing Seaways, THe Fatal Impact, Direct Evidence of Catastrophe, Patterns of extinction and Survival, and Our Hazy View of Time at the K-T Boundary.

These chapters give the reader adequate background information, to take us back to the time of the murderous extinction at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundry of geological time. Here we find a theory of gradual extinction... a theory that most reseachers favor, but could this be true... there are convincing theories.

Part 2: Dead or Alive has ten chapters and it includes: Living Dinosaurs?, Dinosaurs Challenge Evolution, Dinosaurs and the Hierarchy of Life, The Evolutionary Map for Dinosaurs, Death by decree, The Road to Jurassic Park, Crossing the Boundary, Diversification and Decline, The Real Great Dinosaur Extinction, and The Third Wave.

Here we learn why most researchers now believe that birds and other dinosaurs sprung from the same ancient ancestors, all this stems from one of science's theories... evolution. This book is beautifully illustrated and has plenty of morphoroloigal drawings arising for comparitive anatomy.

I found the book to be a wealth of information easily readable and a plethora of detailed compendia on dinosaur facts. This is a book that lays out the extinction of dinosauria with great skill and clairy

I originally bought this book for a class I'm taking, coincidentally being taught by one of the authors, Timothy Rowe. Not only does this book include facts and myths about the extinction of dinosaurs, but it makes them comprehendable, and very entertaining by including recent myths such as those presented in popular movies. A total must read for dinosaur fanatics!

As a medical research scientist, I can say beyond a doubt that a flu pandemic is brewing that may change modern civilization in ways that will go beyond our wildest imagination soon. Physicians are observing the creation of a super strain of the avian influenza virus, H5N1, so-called bird flu, that has the potential to kill millions of men, women, and children in every nation. According to the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a recipe for disaster is clearly in the early genetic-mixing stage. We stand on the abyss of a global wildfire event that will start with the flick of a "viral" matchstick, burn everything in its path, leaving civil disorder and misery in its aftermath on an unprecedented-scale. But what can we do other than prepare ourselves for the inevitable death of our society as we know it? Other than prudent safety precautions, we can also boost our immune systems psychologically against the true number one killer: s-t-r-e-s-s.

Just look at what happened to millions of people impacted by natural disasters in the past year alone from earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis worldwide: They are suffering from PTSD--Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Guess what stress does to your ability to fight bacterial and viral infections? Do you know that when a pandemic strikes within 30-days 100% of the population will be exposed to the virus, but that only 50% will get ill? Did you know that a pandemic comes in 3 phases with the second being the most deadly? Did you know that the most susceptible age group when the virus "hits" is not the young or the old, but the tender-age group 20 to 30? In plain terms, this book will give you the rest of the story; how nature ensures the "survival of the smartest!" Indeed information is power and it will make the difference between life and death in the coming pandemics!

So get smart and raise your I.Q.: "immunity quotient!"

Dr. John Jay Harper is executive director of the not-for-profit, American Delphi Academy, Spokane, Washington, author of Tranceformers: Shamans of the 21st Century, and a bird flu report website at johnjayharper.com

David Kennedy believes that government health officials and the medical community at large are in the hip pocket of big drug companies. This conspiracy has caused important, effective, powerful remedies, like vitamin C, to go unnoticed and unsupported. History will tell whether he is right about that.

What may be more important is that Kennedy and others believe Vitamin C can prevent and treat the avian flu. If this is true, Vitamin C can provide an inexpensive, powerful, effective treatment for a lethal virus.

It now seems clear to every serious-minded person that the Asian Bird Flu is going to attack, the only question is when. When the epidemic strikes, it will be deadly and fast. According to Kennedy, mega-doses of Vitamin C will be effective in protecting people against the flu. For those that have it, he believes that mega-doses of Vitamin C, administered intrvenously, may save many lives.

This book is mostly about the curative effects of Vitamin C. Based on studies and reports of it curing polio, cancer, and other deadly conditions, Kennedy, Linus Pauling, and others state that the health benefits of it are dramatically understated and even unknown.

I don't know if Kennedy is right about the pharamaceutical industry, time will tell. If he is right about Vitamin C and the bird flu, our family will be protected by an inexpensive, easily-available remedy. If he is wrong, we will have taken a lot of Vitamin C.

The highest potentcy in tablet form I am able to find are on amazon.com at 2000MG. Forget Tamiflu and pass the orange juice.

I was a little disappointed that the information in the book, I already had most of in my head, due to the fact that I'm a Linus Pauling fan when it comes to nutrition. However, if you don't already know what I'm talking about, then this book is very important to you because it offers you the opportunity to embark upon a personal oddyssey beginning with a most critical, ubiquitous nutrient your body is not capable of producing, due to genetic damage that everybody has. You need this book.

To Mr. Doubting Thomas... why don't you just read the book and then weigh in. That's part of the problem with Americans and this country's sick-care system... too close-minded. Americans take what health officials tell them as gospel and fail to seek out truth and knowledge for themselves. I received this book Saturday and read through it carefully. I found it to be a valuable read. Knowledge that serves good.

After having read this book I now feel I can do something to protect my family and will be starting us all on vitamin c!
I really felt this was information that could help us especially since it came from people who are considered tops in their field and had scientific studies to back up what they are saying and in some cases were Nobel prize winners.

I was eight years old. I read the paperback edition of this book every night, cover to cover. The story of the effervescent Plop and the conquering of his fear of the dark is as enduring now as it was when it was first published over 30 years ago.

This version is abridged and illustrated from the one that saw me safely to dreamland as a child. No matter. The spirit is preserved and the illustrations are wonderful. Great for any kid with any phobia. A magical book.

The CD in English IS abridged. We first discovered Plop on cassette, and it ran 1 hour. This CD runs 20 minutes. It remains a delightful, short bedtime story for my 6 year old who has it memorized, but it IS abridged. I still would love to locate a truly unabridged CD that has the detail of the cassette.

I totally loved this book when i was little and still do now (I'm nearly 21!). I've lost the tape so I'm looking to get another one so I can show my boyfriend how good it is too. i would highly recommend that every child should have a copy of this book.

Originally published in 1968, "The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark" is considered a classic in England. Now reissued with a whole new illustrator, we members of the United States finally get a chance to read this rather adorable tale. Though not a cutesy story in and of itself, illustrator Paul Howard has drawn a book that has perhaps set the standard for adorable barn owl tales everywhere.

Plop (an unfortuanate name, but whatcha gonna do?) is a small barn owl. Plop is also afraid of the dark. Though his parents attempt to inform him that there is nothing to be afraid of, he remains unconvinced. Finally, they tell him to ask various people and animals for information about the dark. From a boy the owl learns that the dark is exciting, with fireworks and such. From an astrologer he learns that the dark is wondrous, allowing us to see the many constellations in the sky. And so forth. In the end, Plop is convinced and is able to safely fly in the sky with his mother and father without fear.

If you'd like to read something to your little one that doesn't contain much in the way of tension or drama, this book's your ticket. Though Plop does partake in various escapades, none of these ever become dangerous. I was particularly interested in a section where he asks a black cat about the night. Considering that a cat would undoubtedly view a baby barn owl as a yummy snack, I was a bit amazed that nothing bad happened between the two. Nothing so much as the cat licking his chops or thinking to himself, "Boy could I go for a little fowl right now". Nuthin'. Which is fine. Illustrator Paul Howard has added pictures drawn with pastel pencils. The result is that Plop is the fuzziest, cutest, cuddliest little fluffball of an owl to ever flutter across the pages of a picture book. In addition to being a useful book for children that are afraid of the dark, it is also a good story for convincing children that owls are nothing, in and of themselves, to be afraid of. Just don't pair this story with Avi's "Poppy". All in all, this is a sweet little story with fuzzy-wuzzy pictures. Cuddly and adorable all at once, it is certain to be a child's favorite as the years go by.

I am now 13 years old, and I still listen to this classic tape when I have nightmares at night. When I was little I used to listen to it every single night. I listened to it so much that I almost broke it. If you are a parent looking for a good childhood book for your child I highly recommend it, from firsthand experience of being a child. Thanks