Birds Books

Brian is so excited when his parents buy him a pet bird. Everyone is amazed when he teaches it how to talk. When his pesky big brother leaves the door open though, the bird flies out. While Brian's visual impairment plays a big part in the action of the story, it certainly isn't the focus of this charming book. This book acts as a great way to introduce children to diversity.

I purchased this book for my six year old nephew who is blind and a bird lover. This book is incredible! The illustrations are wonderful and the story focuses on family togetherness, not just blindness. It is a wonderful book for siblings with differences, any child really.

Brian's Bird is a wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated picture book. Author Patricia Davis tells a simple direct story while creating many opportunities for visual images. Layne Johnson's striking and colorful photo-like pictures jump to life off the page.

This story of a blind boy who delights in his new pet parakeet is ideal for young readers. The book treats Brian's blindness in a positive manner. The scene in which he uses his sense of touch to solve the mystery of his birthday present gives young readers the opportunity to gain understanding of the special skills of a blind person. The description of how the bird's feet feel on Brian's finger is delightful.

Brian exhibits patience and persistence in teaching his bird. There is humor in the story, as when Brian hears someone calling his name, only to realize it is the bird. Once again, the author highlights the use of an alternate sense.

Brian's brother presents challenges for Brian from the opening pages of the book. Indeed, his brother's actions lead to the bird's flight from the house. The boys work together to solve the problem and sibling teamwork wins the day.

The book presents many opportunities for an adult reading this story to a young child to discuss a variety of issues. The book is also appropriate for young readers up to age 8 or 9 to read on their own.

How nice to discover this book, a delightful vicarious excursion into a fall hunting season, in company with this gentleman and his good dogs. This is a book to remind us of why we love the woods, the changing seasons. Here is a gifted observer, a writer with a sense of humor, prose about as good as any you can find about bird dogs and autumn and pastoral dreams.


I miss Gene Hill, and I keep his birddog books on a special shelf. Here's one to keep them company.

Over the past several years I have had the pleasure of spending frequent Sunday mornings shooting a round of sporting clays in the company of Steve Mulak. On many occasions, the conversations I have had with Steve have been as enjoyable as the shooting itself.

I am primarily a target shooter and only very occasionally an upland bird hunter. This has in no way diminished the pleasure I have received from reading Steve's books - and for good reason. I have read several reviews of A Brief Autumn's Passage which describe it variously as a book on dog training, or a book on grouse hunting, but it is much more than either of these. It is the opportunity to engage in conversation with someone who is an artist, a knowlageble naturalist, and a polished story teller - someone who delights in recoutning his experiences in the New England Woods and sharing the knowledge gained through a lifetime of pursuing grouse and woodcock with shotgun and dog. Reading a chapter of A Brief Autumn's Passage feels very much like sitting on a windfall in the New England woods having a conversation with Steve.

Steve Mulak has developed a writing style that fits comfortably with his subject matter, that accruately portrays the color and texture of a New England Autumn and the bird hunting experience, and which conveys a wealth of information without ever feeling like a text book. I highly recommend A Brief Autumn's Passage and look forward to Steve's future efforts.

First, a confession, Steve Mulak is a good friend. Not good enough to give up his coverts, but good enough to shoot with regularly, to exchange bawdy jokes with, and to commiserate with on the pitfalls of the aging process.

I have read all of Steve's ramblings and in the process have seen the emergence of a truly professional writer. Steve has grown from an amusing after-dinner raconteur to a professional writer who has mastered the ability of integrating botany lessons, shooting tips, and dog training instruction into a fall of wild bird hunting.

A retired marine engineer, Steve brings the precision required in his former life to the writing tablet. Word choice and sentence structure carefully create mood and allow the reader to share daily expeditions with Steve.

If you have an affinity for English Setters, the New England grouse woods in the fall, and an easy to read stylistic piece. This book is for you.

Read it.

Bob Smith

The book arrived quickly and in good shape. The book is non-fiction but reads like fiction.

My niece whom I bought the book for loved the book! She is an avid birdwatcher with her parents and they all enjoyed the book. Thank you.

This was one of my favorite books as a child. It is a wonderful story written with the purpose of learning about birds.

This book tells you everything about Hong Kong butterflies. The photos / illustration plates add live to this wonderful book. The information is so comprehensive and useful. As an enthusiast of butterfly, I highly recommend this book (THE BIBLE OF HONG KONG BUTTERFLIES) to everyone.

The most comprehensive, informative and wonderful book about butterflies of Hong Kong I have ever seen. It covers all the details you would like to know about Hong Kong butterflies. I recommend this book to those who like to explore the nature.

Although this is an expensive book, it simply is the best and most definitive work on butterflies of the region. The standard of presentation is excellent. Descriptions are clear and very informative, with plenty of in text illustrations showing identification characters allowing similar species to be identified - particularly useful for the Hesperiidae. Many species are give full ecological write ups, some reared for the first time. Also included in the core text are photographs of many species taken "in the field" (mostly of good to excellent quality). Short chapters also outline Hong Kong's natural environment. The plates (in two sections: adults and immature stages) are absolutely top quality and show dorsal and ventral wing surfaces, male, female and seasonal forms at life size; the immature plates comprise photos of each stage, where known. A few negatives - local distribution data is already out of date and must be regarded as historical (a sad reflection of Hong Kong's general apathy to its natural resources); the list of contacts is also out of date!

Thoroughly recommended (I'm still saving up for my copy!), a wonderful addition to any butterfly bibliophile's portfolio and a must buy option for anyone interested in the butterflies of South-east and East Asia.

Great book for children or adults. There are lots of color photographs, tips, facts, things about kids and canaries ... sections on sickness, things you can and can't feed, whether or not canaries can be handtamed. (Yes, but it takes time. They can't be picked up or touched like some birds.)

The pictures are very appealing -- adorable! The different breeds are fun to look at. Did you know canaries could be red?

If you have a canary, or are interested in buying one, this is definitely a good book for you. The whole thing is appealing. Not at all boring like some pet guides can be.

This book is excellent! It tells you about everything from buying to taking care of your canary. It also explains if your birdie could be caged with other birds. Has lots of pictures and at the end of the book it has space to record information about your bird.

CANARIES BY Sigtun Rittrich-Dorenkamp provides the reader with "basic information to help you purchase and care for your new pet". As I just bought two new canaries a few weeks ago, and knew virtually nothing about at the time, I found this book and the other books about canaries I purchased from Amazon most helpful. Unlike some of the other books, however, this little volume appears to be developed for children with larger type as well as plenty of cute photos.

Particularly helpful for the new bird owner is a "cleaning schedule" which advises the reader on daily, weekly, monthly, and "every few months" tasks to carry out on behalf of a feathered companion. As children tend to find housekeeping responsibilities the downside of pet ownership (as do many adults), clear instructions on how to care for your canary to keep him healthy and happy should prove somewhat encouraging for the young bird owner. The book also includes plenty of additional information about how to solve problems, and how to identify bird ailments and prevent in the first place them with proper hygiene and diet. As a gardener, I found the photos of canaries munching dandelion greens most amusing. I've always wondered what to do with those pesky weeds.

"I listened the first time in my car -- with great pleasure. And was pleasantly surprised when my 6 year old grandson said, "Play it again. I have to hear it again!" Great tapes, and the appeal is wide-ranging."

Some materials invite immediate attention, and such was the case with these beautifully packaged tapes. It was a pleasure to discover that their exterior quality reflected the care that was given to the production of the stories themselves. Mara Freeman, a British storyteller now living in California, has adapted the stories from a variety of sources, and much of the strength of the tapes is in her lyrical retellings.... and they are stories that are too good to miss!

These sagas are engrossing, with vivid details of setting and costume that re-create the mystique of an ancient culture. Storyteller Mara Freeman adopts Scots, Welsh, and Gaelic accents for different characters, but her intonation is clearly for American ears. Gerry Smida's beautiful musical track (featuring bagpipe, Celtic harp, whistle, and drum) is so finely attuned to the stories that it greatly enhances their impact. All folktale collections will be enriched by these tapes.

Chasing Warblers was published by University of Texas Press and it received a book design award by Southeastern Library Association in 2000. Book designer: Heidi Haeuser.

While many books on birds are either cumbersome "doorstops" with far too much information (even for the avid) or are comprised of a collection of "only good" photographs that all seem to blend into one at the end of the reading (if you get that far), Bob and Vera's, "Chasing Warblers" is refreshing. Not only are the photographs first class by all standards, but the storyline is original and tight. First off, who gets that close to a Swainson's or a Colima or a Kirtlands, let alone photograph it? Any birder who has even scant knowledge of warblers and their persistant and sometimes frustrating "flutter" can appreaciate their task and acknowledge their success. Second, there is good writing. The story of Bob and Vera's adventures and misadventures from the mountaintops of the Texan deserts to the Pacific forests to the woodlands of Central Park prove exciting and written in colorful coloquial speak. Whether a birder or not - one can appreciate a book that combines truly amazing photos with an entertaining story - a rare entity!! Review by Mark Robert, San Francisco, Ca.

A wonderful book. In addition to great photographs, it is a wonderful story of the adventure taken to obtain the photo's by the photographers.

I cannot think of any criticisms for this book. His doctrine is sound and Christ-centered, and his grasp of the distinction between law and gospel of Waltherian proportion. The language is strong and fine and timeless, sometimes poetic, never too archaic or remote, sometimes colloquial but never too much; his drawing of parallels and his artistic and spiritual conceits and tie-ins ably reveal the Word in its wholeness, its terrible, joyful integrity. The sermons are the best length, about 5-10 minutes, and there is a good number of them.

This is Lutheran preaching at its best. Law and Gospel beautifully presented and balanced, Christ and Him crucified at the center. Also, the sacraments and the sacramental life are wonderfully interwoven. Makes a wonderful devotional for a pastor (as well as a trove of ideas!).

He gets right to the heart of the Gospel! Pulls no punches. I would make this a mandatory read!

My teacher read this book to my class... It is SOOOOOOOOO good! If there is any way for you to get it, I would HIGHLY recomend it!

This is one of the best books you could possibly share with your kids. My fifth grade teacher also read this to us, and she cried, and we all cried, too. I've never forgotten it. I borrowed it from her when I was in high school, and then forgot about it and it lay in a dusty box for several years. When I found it again, I wanted to keep it, but knew that she should share it with her other students as well. I've been looking for one of my own ever since, and can never find one! If I could choose ONE BOOK to own at this point, it would be THE CHRISTMAS DUCK. The story is both sensitive and thought-provoking and the characters are real. It also helps youngsters relate to the complications of mental disabilities. You come to love and care about Kevin and CD as if they were part of your own family. Please read this book if you can--search everywhere for it, it's worth it!

This book is beautifully written, the characters are superbly done, and the plot line and subject matter is sensitive to the audience. The story of a retarded boy and his dog is unique and touching. My teacher read this book to our class in 5th grade; now, as a high school teacher, we are discussing this book in my children's literature class. If you have the opportunity, you should definitely read this book yourself and to any children you know.

While Ms. Bird made me worried as one or two of her books were shaky, this one is well written. Cooper learns something about Jane, Annie learns something about her family, and Tyler wants to get back together with Kate. Cooper's mom is having a bit of trouble with the whold divorce thing, Kate confronts her brother, and Annie gets totally freaked by astrology. Well, I'm sure there are things I've left out, but you should read the book if you want details and answers! Later!

Cooper learns something new and shocking about her new friend Jane. Something that she knows she must keep secret. But then Cooper accidentally lets the secret out to her friends. And Jane finds out. Will Jane be able to forgive her? Will Cooper be able to cope with the new discovery?

Annie finds out that her aunt and Grayson (her favorite author) are getting married. But with that marriage, her aunt tells her a secret. One that will change Annie's life as she knows it.

Kate is given another chance with Tyler. He is asking if they can go back to the way they were. What will Kate say? Will her decision effect her and Tyler?

Yes. Good. REALLY wierd revelation with Annie though. I TOTALLY never expected that. So, as i always say, read and find out ;)

With the start of a new year, Cooper, Annie, and Kate are faced with both new and old challenges. To start off the new year, their wicca class teaches them about astrology, the study of the stars. Copper and Kate think it's cool but Annie is disturbed by it. IS everything just written in the stars? Dose she have any control over her life? But through this study Annie discovers something new and shocking. There may just be another piece of her parents left in the world. Cooper faces a new challenge when she finds out something new about her friend Jane. When she makes a horrible mistake, can Jane ever forgive her? And how will Kate deal when she's given another chance with Tyler. Has she forgiven him yet to love him again? Is she even ready.

After the last few books the Circle of Three series has remained, though entertaining, a little less special. But this one has brought the books up to the same level of entertainment that was seen in Blue Moon and the Five Paths (my two favorites). I'm glad to see Isobel Bird is back on track. I can't wait until the next book, And it Harm none, comes out. It looks really good. Enjoy!