Birds Books

Considering George Bird Grinnell's impact on conservation, fair treatment of the American Indian, and the national park movement - and those are but three of his many accomplishments - the lack of a full biography of his life seems downright peculiar. Since I first ran into his name more than a decade ago when I moved into an apartment building named Grinnell and wondered who or what "Grinnell" was, I have often pondered why I didn't learn about George Bird Grinnell in school. Surely, his life is as interesting and his contribution to America is as significant as that of Buffalo Bill (whose path he crossed). Consider, this man founded the first Audubon Society, explored Glacier National Park, and would have accompanied Custer at his last stand, except his professor needed his services for the summer at Yale!

Until now, the most complete exploration of Grinnell's life - excluding the unpublished, autobiographical "Memories" which resides in original at Yale and in copy or microfilm in several other libraries - was John F. Reiger's "The Passing of the Great West." Reiger allowed Grinnell to speak for himself, filling out the picture with supplementary writings by and about him. Gerald Diettert's "Grinnell's Glacier: George Bird Grinnell and Glacier National Park" focuses on one period in Grinnell's life and William T. Hagan's "Theodore Roosevelt and Six Friends of the Indian" (Grinell was one of the six "friends"), focuses on one facet of it. Grinnell's own writings reveal much about him. He was a prolific writer with a keen eye for detail, but his writings with an autobiographical slant are either difficult to obtain, like "Memories," or scattered in various places, such as magazine articles about his home in Audubon Park or the semi-autobiographical series of "Jack" adventure books, which he presumably wrote for his nieces and nephews to acquaint them with the "olden days."

While Michael Punke's "Last Stand: George Bird Grinell, the Battle to Save the Buffalo, and the Birth of the New West" is not a complete biography of Grinnell, it is a thorough examination of Grinnell's development from a wealthy and somewhat aimless young man to a mature thinker who grasped the concept of animal extinction and found in himself both the perseverance and tools to combat it.

As Punke succinctly states, "If there were two moral poles in the world of George Bird Grinnell, Cornelius Vanderbilt stood at one of them" and Lucy Audubon, the widow of naturalist and painter, John James Audubon, stood at the other. Punke develops this theme confidently and convincingly throughout his book. Lucy Audubon, who was Grinnell's first teacher and near neighbor in what was then known as Audubon Park, taught him the value of self-denial, which is at the heart of conservation: deny today and preserve so that future generations may enjoy. True, Grinnell probably learned similar lessons from his father, whose reputation remained untarnished and unchallenged (except in the "Brooklyn Eagle") despite two bankruptcies and extended, close business dealings with Cornelius Vanderbilt, the granddaddy of robber barons, but in his later writings, Grinnell gives ample credit to "Grandma" Audubon for her early moral lessons.

Punke is admirable in his ability to keep the various threads of his story moving along simultaneously. Grinnell's maturation, the United States government's subjugation of the American Indian, the near extinction of the buffalo, and the establishment of Yellowstone Park all develop simultaneously, no strand slighted in favor of another. Punke's writing is clear and energetic and his knowledge of the subject matter is extensive.

Occasionally, he misstates a fact; for example, substituting the firm of George B. Grinnell & Co for George Bird Grinnell & Co (George Blake Grinnell did his son a disservice when he named him George Bird - one George B Grinnell too many) and, occasionally he misses an interesting point. September 18, 1873, the day George Bird Grinnell & Co crashed, essentially freeing Grinnell from business and allowing him to return to Yale and embark upon the course that led him west, was the same day that Lucy Audubon, Grinnell's mentor, departed New York City for the last time, returning to Louisville, Kentucky, where she died several months later.

Those bits are tangential, however. This is a splendid book, a welcome addition to the literature about the founding father of American conservation and a very interesting read.
Matthew Spady [...].

This is a fascinating look at an overlooked and underappreciated historical figure: George Bird Grinnell, who led the effort to save the buffalo (and later, Glacier National Park). A man far ahead of his time, Grinnell was trying to save the buffalo when most Americans didn't care that they were disappearing, or were eager to kill them off, either as a way to get rid of the Indians, or as a way to make money. Punke takes you on a thrilling journey, describing exactly how the buffalo were killed off and why, with side ventures into the creation of Yellowstone National Park (and the battles to preserve it that follow), the big baron culture of the 19th centure, the emergence and importance of the magazine industry at the time, and the lives of John James Audubon, Custer, Theodore Roosevelt, Buffalo Bill and many others. The big will leave you with a tinge of sadness -- we will never again see the wilderness west of the early 19th century -- tempered with hope, that one person can, indeed, make a difference.

Michael Punke has written a very timely account of George Bird Grinnell, the assault on the American buffalo and efforts to keep it from extinction, the creation of Yellowstone National Park, and Grinnell's efforts as a conservationist. Grinnell was able to see into the future to save the buffalo from extinction, and the importance of preserving our environment for future generations. The book deals with poachers who killed buffalo for a living, commercial hunters of birds and fish, and how people felt the supply was inexhaustable. Yellowstone National Park was created in 1872, but many members of Congress voted for it simply because they felt the area was without economic value and setting it aside didn't matter. Grinnell's mentors were Lucy Audubon and Professor Othniel Marsh. Marsh accepted Grinnell as one of a few young men to accompany him out west to search for dinosaur bones. Later Grinnell accompanied George Armstrong Custer's 1874 expedition into the Black Hills of South Dakota on a scientific expedition in which Custer searched for gold. Custer later invited Grinnell to accompany his ill fated 7th cavalry into Montana in 1876, but Grinnell had commitments at the Peabody Museum. Grinnell made the most of his life and devoted it to conserving America's beauty for future generations. It's ironic that his beloved Glacier National Park in Montana is now threatened by global warming. We owe it to him to preserve for future generations what he preserved for us. My copy of this book will go to the local high school in hopes that young people will be aware of the importance of preserving our environment.

Michael Punke is fast becoming one of the most reliable authors for accessible, fascinating books about the west. He's a vivid writer who really knows how to construct a story. I highly recommend it.

Michael Punke threads his love of the wilds of the West throughout his informative, thought-provoking and insightful story of the buffalo and their interrleationship with the Native American population. He effectively evolved and linked this period to the issues with which we are dealing today. The author's research served to illustrate and elaborate on the context of the time. I gained a great appreciation from the story for the challenges and significant accomplishments of George Bird Grinnell. The book should is a must read for all Americans to infuse a much needed political consciousness of what we have done and are doing to our western wildnerness and the native people and animals who inhabit it.

Dr. Judith L. Lyon

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.

This was one of the best childrens books I had read in awhile. The writing is simple and sweet and the pictures that go along with it are adorable. My younger sister loved this book and it is a great one to read at bedtimes. I especially liked the fact that all the little owl wanted to do was go to bed, what an unusual thing for a small child who always wants to stay up to hear.

If you've read Little Pea and loved it, you will love this book too. It is a really cute story about an owl who wants to go to bed, but his parents make him stay up a little bit longer. My 4 1/2 year old loves it. She is always asking to stay up a little bit longer so this is the perfect story for her. Very funny and cute!!!

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.

Nick Bruel has done it again! This story has all the elements of a great picture book: a main character with a problem that children can relate to, simple and colorful illustrations and predictive text. I read this story to my first grade students and they absolutely loved it. They were already huge fans of Mr. Bruel's and they enjoyed comparing this story to his other work. They even noticed that the birds in this story have the same head shape as Bob and Otto. This story led to a great discussion about choices and consequences. We discussed how kids sometimes want things that they think are great for them, but parents can see beyond what they want and may decide that it's not best for them at the time. We also talked about what birds need to survive and how these basic needs were met while living as a pet and how they could be met if he decided to live in the wild. In sum, I highly recommend this book to all K-2 teachers and to parents w/ young children. Thanks Nick for another fantastic story! Keep them coming.

Mr. Bruel continues to do excellent work! This book takes on a rather sophisticated subject in a way that is very engaging for children (and adults). Is the grass greener on the other side?

From the perspective of a parent I appreciate the way he was able to capture the interest of my children and spark a lot of conversation between us. They may not realize it, but they were dealing with some rather intellectual subject matter when they discussed the 'what's' and 'why's' of their answer to Mr. Bruel's burning question: "What would YOU do?"

It appears that from the perspective of my children, Little Red Bird was a lot of "Fun"! My little boy felt personally involved in Little Red Bird's adventure! He liked to take his finger and hop around the room with Little Red Bird... He liked to 'swoosh' his hand through the air (complete with sound effects) when Little Red Bird flew around outside!

At the end, when that question is asked, both of my kids got up off the couch and 'flew' around the room... I guess that answers that!

A very nice book that entertains and stimulates the brain in equal doses! I recommend it highly.

Eric Brewer

I don't know what I like more about this book, the gorgeous illustrations or the witty, creative prose. Nick Bruel has written a charming story about a little bird and his choice about whether to stay in his comfortable cage or go out and explore the big world. The "what would you do?" questions that appear several times in the book were the launching pad for some great conversations between my kids and me. A real gem, and one that I will give as a gift to all the kids I know.

Little Red Bird is a rhyming children's picturebook about a caged red bird who wonders about the world outside her cage. One day the door to her cage is left open, as is the window, and she flies out to experience the wide, wonderful world. But what should she do next? She can still see the way back to her former cage, where she was fed and provided for. "Have you ever heard / Of the Little Red Bird / Who had some thinking to do? // Should she stay? / Should she go? / She just didn't know... // I wonder what YOU would do?" The lovely scene on the back cover, drawn with the same bright colors and lovely aplomb as the rest of the picture, shows the Little Red Bird sharing a meal with her new friend, a little yellow bird. A lovely read-aloud storybook for parents and children to share.

I pre-ordered this book through Amazon and received it in the mail a few days ago. In this book, there is an adult theme that is presented in a kid friendly way...what would you do? The bird in this book must make choices that will affect it's life but before the birds makes a decision the author presents the reader with "What would you do?" What a wonderful conversation starter with children! The illustrations are beautifully done. This would be a fantastic addition to any library (personal, school, classroom or public). This is another fabulous book by Nick Bruel.

This book is so timely. I thought it was great. I gave it to a couple of friends and I think that everyone should read it.

Brooke Newman's The Little Tern: A Story Of Insight is a thoughtful modern-day parable of inspiration, suitable for readers of all ages and faiths. When a tern loses the ability to fly, he fears that he has lost all that is important and central to his life... but then he makes new friends who bring him to a fresh and self-renewing perspective. Soft, watercolor-style illustrations by Lisa Mann Dirkes add a pervasive and gentle beauty to this heartfelt tale. Enthusiastically recommended for personal reading or as a fine giftbook for a friend or loved one, The Little Tern is a truly memorable and touching story.

I found the Little Tern both moving and inspirational. A welcomed piece of wisdom to all of us during these difficult times. The writing and illustrations work brilliantly together to create a memorable journey for the reader. A book not to be missed!

I loved this charming story. This Little Tern is a character of great importance to anyone who has gone through difficult times in their lives. The bird has such resiliency; finding ways out of his struggles that he truely is a hero of mine. I highly recommend this beautiful book!

THE LITTLE TERN is a philosophical fable that has been designed as a picture book. It tells the tale of a little bird who suddenly cannot fly. All birds are supposed to fly, and a tern is designed to fly and soar through the skies, darting for food in the sea.

Since the Little Tern can't fly he's forced to live on the beach, walking awkwardly in the waves and watching the fog roll in, pondering who he is and his purpose in life. Is a bird still a bird if he has to remain earthbound?

Season follows season and gradually the Little Tern makes some friends. He searches for meaning in the little things he observes --- things he never noticed before when he could fly. As he gradually learns to make the very best of things as he finds them, he discovers a secret that enriches his life. Will it help him fly again, or will it just help him live without being able to fly?

THE LITTLE TERN is a charming story with beautiful watercolor illustrations. The words themselves draw their own pictures for you and will make you think about what the purpose of living really is.

--- Reviewed by Tamara Penny

MY STORY BY FRANCIS THE BIRD is a cute and educational story about a baby bird who falls out of a tree and into the life of woman who takes care of him. The story is told from Francis' perspective and highlights the day-to-day experiences that he and his caretaker share, including his attempts to learn how to fly.

The language is fresh, easy to understand and engaging. Carla Cain's photography adds an additional dimension to this book and the photographs perfectly compliment the unfolding story. Children are sure to be fascinated by Francis' story and the intricately detailed photos. And while they are enrapt in this pleasant story they will be learning a lot of educational information about the early life of birds. Carla Cain plans to author future books featuring other animals and I am sure this collection will ultimately achieve her goal of bringing nature alive for children. Hopefully, as a result of this and future works, she will encourage children to put down the video game controllers, turn off the television and explore the great outdoors.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

My Story By Francis The Bird is the true story of a baby sparrow who fell from his nest, and received care from the human girl who found him until he was ready to fly. Told from the little bird's point of view, My Story By Francis The Bird features a full color photograph on every page, showing the sparrow's transformation from a pink, fleshy baby to a fully fledged adult. A heartwarming story of care, tenderness, and hope, My Story By Francis The Bird is very highly recommended reading for children preschool through first grade.

A tribute to love and the many rewards that it can bring.
Reviewed by: Tyrone Vincent Banks of Betsie's Literary Page

March 10, 2004

Francis is a fragile baby sparrow that fell from his nest on a spring morning. Through beautiful color photographs, we watch first hand the passage of time beginning with Francis's arrival into the author's life. We watch the small sparrow grow until he "leaves the human's nest." This book serves as a reminder that every creature, human or nonhuman, can flourish and grow with love.

It is obvious that the author remained patient and nurturing as the photographs were taken. These color photographs of the small bird against a soft satin-like background highlight this book's simplicity. I read this one to my 6-year-old daughter last night and many children will echo her words. As I closed the book she asked me, "Daddy, can I bring this to show and tell?"

Excellent job Francis! Tell your assistant Carla C. Cain that we look forward to hearing from you both again! Thank you for reminding me of how one simple, loving action can enhance the lives of the person giving and receiving this wonderful emotion.

Tyrone Vincent Banks of Betsie's Literary Page

I have never seen a children's book like this before! Rather than illustrations, this book tells the story with photographs! My kids and I love to see the transformation of a featherless infant bird into a young adult. It is both an entertaining and educational book with a very touching ending. I would recommend this book to anyone any age; it appeals to both young and old. There is also a lot to see on the book's website. Lots of pictures on this site.

I thought this was such a neat book! The pictures were great and had very vivid detail. And I was amazed how the story went along so well with the photographs! I loved this book so much I gave it to all my nieces and nephews for Christmas. I give this book five stars and recommed it to everyone!

As an avid Birder,I get as much enjoyment from books about birds as the birds themselves. With about 1200 bird books in my library,you would wonder if there is any book that could excite me at this point. Not so,this book stands out as much a work of art as does a bird's nest. Maryjo Koch's art shows her great love for art,nature and the fascinating world of birds.It is pure pleasure to turn the pages and enjoy her work.
This is a large coffee table size book,15 by 11 1/2 inches,beautifully constructed with fine paper ,excellent printing and color rendition.To top it off,it has a beautiful cover displaying her work.
It has always amazed me,with all the birds we see in our travels,how relatively few nests we actually see.This usually only happens in the winter after the leaves have fallen.Of course,if one pays attention during nest building and nesting,the birds themselves will lead you to their nests.Whenever I come across one,I try to figure out what species of bird built it.Usually,because one is familiar with the habitat and the birds that nest there,it is quite easy to determine which bird built it.What also amazes me is how each species builds a different nest;and within that species each nest is basically identical.
Anyone who enjoys an artist who puts her heart,soul and skills into her work will be enthralled with this fine book.

I ordered this item on June 13 and still have not received it, two and a half months later. What's going on?

This exquisite book is perfect for those days when one can just lull in a hammock and enjoy nature. Maryjo Koch is a wonderful artist and naturalist. Her drawings are so lifelike you feel you could just reach down and pick up one of the beautiful bird's eggs that are in the book. The poems and quotations are an added plus. Wonderful book to have in a classroom to teach children about birds, their remarkable homes and nature.

This is a gorgeous book, a rare combination of art and information. It's the sort of book that people love but rarely buy for themselves. It makes a wonderful and unusual new-home gift.

The Nest, by Maryjo Koch is a delightful work revealing the spirit of her subject (birds/nests/eggs) with remarkable attention to artistic detail. The text (except publisher notes and the forward) are handwritten or hand-lettered . . . all with charming variety of style and movement.

On some of her drawings, she has left portions without color; thus, revealing the architecture of her black and white line art. At the side of several illustrations, she provides "brush smears" of colors with the name of the base paint colors used in the blends.

The book is a fascinating blend of ornithology and beautifully executed art.

This is the quintessential canary handbook; easy to read and understand, filled with excellent photos and advice, with a good section on genetics if you should choose to breed these marvelous little birds. Vriends is a wonderful writer, well-organized on all the chapters in the aspects of canary breeding; his love of the birds comes through on every page. I have raised canaries for several years, and recommend this book to every person who has ever procured a bird from me---in fact, if they have not had a canary before, I always tell them to buy THIS book first, read it and THEN call me back. It is an invaluable resource tool.

Dr. Vriends' book is a comprehensive guide to keeping canaries. He is an expert on aviculture who has published many books on its various aspects. The present book covers canaries of type, color, and song varieties and is richly illustrated with photographs and drawings which bring the readable text to life. The information contained in the book is wide-ranging and accurate.

Very clear. Covers feeding, housing, breeding, and genetics,as well as common diseases and household medicines that can be used to treat various conditions to which canaries are susceptible. However, an owner who does not want to breed might grow tired of the focus on breeding. Also, owners with canaries who were not handfed as babies may assume there is something wrong with their bird because the book discusses relatively tame handfed canaries and neglacts state that their tameness and willingness to be handled is not true of birds who were not hand fed. So be aware that if your bird does not like to be handled, this is normal. In fact, a non hand fed canary who does not struggle when caught may be ill. One final note: Information and medicating are fine, but misdiagnosis can occur,so it is good to also be have the name of a vet.

Yes!...This is a very valuable book to have. The format and layout are just perfect. Information?..it's all here. I'm going to use this book often.

Having been involved in care of all sorts of animals for over 40 years and habitually buying books about each, I can say without reservation that this book is the best value for the dollar that I have ever purchased. Matthew Vriends is an internationally recognized expert on the species and he has provided us with an extraordinary handbook. The information, illustrations and photographs exceed anything I have ever purchased in a paperback edition of an animal care book.

I've been using this guide in Southern Africa for the last 6 years, and it's never let me down. Great book for those traveling to the region, but keep in mind that most guides at the wildlife parks will already have a copy, so you could save the weight and space in your luggage.

Have not actually been to southern Africa yet, but plan to do so next summer. I have been an avid birder for 3 decades, and it looks like the format of this book will be very useful for my trip.

this is the best bird guide for birds of the region. I have carefully looked over others on the market.

Excellent book with very good graphics and organization. Just what is needed to confirm your observations or identify your sightings.

Now in a fully revised eighth edition, Newman's Birds Of Southern Africa is a field guide to 125 species of Southern African birds illustrated throughout with realistic full-color artwork. Each species has an entry with a map indicating their distribution, their common and scientific name, a brief paragraph with a basic physical description and notes on distinguishing characteristics, and a gorgeous, realistic color illustration. A revised introduction teaches the reader step-by-step how to use the guide to quickly identify avian species, and a glossary, index and birdwatching checklist round out this first-class resource. A treat for bird lovers due to the top-quality artistry alone, as well as being a quintessential identification guide, Newman's Birds Of Southern Africa is enthusiastically recommended for amateur birdwatchers and professional biologists alike.

I like this book because it was talking about pufflings and they are good pufflings

My family loved this book! Last September, we visited the Westmann Islands and experienced the thrill of releasing the baby pufflings to the sea. It was such fun to read this book later and see the very beach where we'd released our pufflings. Bruce McMillan's book and photos capture the magic of this annual event in a delightful way.

My daughter gave a presentation on Puffins for her 3rd grade class. This was an inspirational book for her. She was able to connect with the puffings and feel strongly about their plight. That enabled her to really get excited about her report. The pictures are beautiful and moving. It has some facts, although she used other sources for the bulk of her information. This book brings the real world to a child's level of understanding.

We have loved this book for years now, and I wish it was easier to get. I wanted to get a copy for each of my children as we just experienced the Night of the Pufflings ourselves, but it must be out of print. Bruce McMillan has managed to capture the event so realistically that we in fact used his book as a "how to" manual of sorts. He describes everything from how the children capture the pufflings to how and where they are released. It gives children - anywhere in the world - a wonderful look into how other children live! We also like, how he incorporated Icelandic words (and their pronounciations) into the book. A wonderfully written and illustrated book!

This is one of the loveliest children's books I've ever read -- not only because the photographs are so stunning -- gorgeously reproduced, and in turns beautiful, humorous, charming, or downright cute -- but also because it shows children working together to take care of the natural world. Really, really wonderful -- don't miss it.

Nine Keys is a very practical step-by-step process in how to implement successful, healthy small groups into the local church.

I am a small-groups person. I have been in one small group or another, often as a leader, almost continually, for the past 30 years. I believe small groups are just about the most important aspect of a church's life.

I have read many books on this, gone to many seminars. There is a lot of good material on this topic.

But in my present role as a church consultant, this is the book on small groups that I hand to pastors who are wanting to know how to grow a small group ministry or how to better equip their small group leaders.

Why? As George explains in this book, most church small groups do a good job of promoting nurture and fellowship, but most stop there. George believes an effective small group should perform three basic functions, not just nurture. In addition to nurture, he believes small groups should be effectively engaged in small-group-based evangelism (George says that in any given year, only one small group in four does any evangelism), and he thinks that small groups should constantly be training small group leaders through apprenticeship. I agree that a small group needs all three functions. And so I use this book as the entry point for someone who is new to these ideas about small group life.

After this introduction, I point churches to further training or more in-depth printed materials about various aspects of this approach to small groups, but in my opinion, there's not a better starting point than this one.

We have used this tool since it came out. I've found that this tool is best for easily organizing the 'how to' stuff of small group leadership. It does not cover the ministerial philosophy issues. A good book for that is 'Master Plan of Evangelism' by Robert Coleman.

As the title for this book says, it covers nine keys for effective small group leadership. Each key really has four or five sub points...so in reality it is nine times about five...or forty five keys if you will. But George has organized them into nine groups...or keys.

We've found that leaders who study this material are easier to work with and easier to build a vision with for a local church ministry. There are a lot of books on Small Group Leadership that will help you. This one is very practical. It's so well written you can use it even if all you do is read the paragraph headers. Everything is well explained and easy to find or follow.

So even for leaders who don't like to read or who you suspect will not read everything you ask them to read, this book still might get through to them. I recommend it as a curriculum text for a course in a local church/ministry for leading small groups.

Enjoy it!

The best two things about this book are: 1) it helps the small group leader coordinate with the pastor, and 2) it includes shepherding, building community, discipleship and evangelism as part of the small group experience. It is the best balanced book available today!

Carl George effectively communicates the essential basics. This book does a good job of highlighting the difference between being a facilitator of small group time and being a leader (someone who is a disciple-maker). I have used this book as the main text for training small group leaders. It provides great material for interactive discussion and presenting a wholistic picture of all that small groups can be.