Look Up!: Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard

Author-illustrator Cate begins with a confession: "I'm not an expert bird-watcher -- not a single pair of my binoculars even works properly! I just really love birds." Her desire to share this passion with a new generation of nature enthusiasts shines through in this delightful and thoroughly detailed introduction to the hobby (some might say addiction) of birdwatching. The book starts by encouraging children to sharpen their awareness of their natural surroundings and, in doing so, to notice the presence of birds in any setting, pastoral or urban. Next up are the basics of bird identification, guiding readers through consideration of bird color, shapes, behaviors, and songs (including helpful discussions of the challenges of differentiating among birds that are brown, the peskiest color, and among sparrows, the peskiest species). Once mastered, it's on to the more intermediate characteristics that distinguish one species from another: habitat, range, and migration. The discussion is lighthearted; Cate and the birds, portrayed in cartoonlike illustrations with speech balloons, poke fun at themselves and one another as they teach bird observation. Even when amusing, however, the asides and comments are full of scientific information. Cate also suggests that readers document their observations through sketching and drawing, providing tips on the art as well as the science of birding. danielle j. ford