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Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Birds Make Nests, written and illustrated by Michael Garland. Holiday House, Thomas Allen & Son. 2017. $24.99 ages 4 and up

"These nests are
shaped like mounds.
American Flamingo

Some birds make nests
on the ground.
Common Ostrich

Some birds make nests
in holes in trees.
Great Horned Owl"

I love watching a pair of robins in my backyard as they make repairs and upgrade their nest from last summer. Well, I suspect they are the same ones. We are told they come back to the same spot year after year. Last year they successfully raised two families of three.

Kids will be fascinated to learn about the many different nests birds build, and the very interesting places they find to build them. First, the parent birds want their eggs to be safe; then, they want a protected space for the chicks they hope to raise.

The text is simple; the beautifully designed artwork created with woodcut and digital tools is perfect.
It is a celebration of the tenacity and ingenuity of the many birds here shown. Each illustration includes a serene setting, the common name for the bird in question, and the shape of the nest itself. Often, we even catch a glimpse of the eggs or chicks.

Little ones, for whom this book is written, will be drawn to the short descriptions, the beauty of the birds, and a feeling of satisfaction for what they are seeing. The images will certainly encourage questions and further learning. Not all birds presented will be familiar - just another reason for sharing it with someone you love.

This is a pleasing and most useful introduction to the nesting habits of many familiar and unfamiliar birds. 

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