Tag Archives: Birds

Elem. – Animal Battles (Series NF)

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Sommer, Nathan. Animal Battles. Bellwether Media, 2024. $19.95 ea. $79.80 set of 4. 24 p. Grades 2-4. 

Arctic Fox vs. Snowy Owl. 979-8-886-87456-3.
Burmese Python vs. Sun Bear. 979-8-886-87457-0.
Crocodile Monitor vs. Southern Cassowary. 979-8-886-87458-7.
Harpy Eagle vs. Ocelot. 979-8-886-87459-4.

Young readers will have the opportunity to learn more about fierce animal predators in Bellether’s ever expanding Animal Battles series. This reviewer had the opportunity to read the volume entitled Arctic Fox vs. Snowy Owl. An introductory chapter provides basic information about each animal including physical characteristics, habitat, etc. Next, readers are introduced to each animal’s secret weapons. The arctic fox counts exceptional senses of smell and hearing as well as the ability to run fast among their secret weapons. The snowy owl has large wings with comb shaped feathers that enable them to fly silently. They also have excellent eyesight. Each animal’s secret weapons serve as advantages when hunting prey. The attack moves, and tactics of each animal are also profiled. The title concludes with a narrative style chapter in which the profiled animals do battle. Backmatter includes a glossary as well as directions to web resources.

THOUGHTS: This series is sure to hold appeal for fans of animal stories or action-related tales. Fans of fact-style books will also find much to appreciate. The text is enhanced by the inclusion of numerous high-quality photos. Recommended.

598 Animals

Elem. – South American Animals (Series NF)

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Hansen, Grade. South American Animals. Abdo, 2023. $22.95 ea. $137.70 set of 6. 24 p. Grades PreK-2. 

Anaconda. 978-1-098-26181-8.
Llama. 978-1-098-26182-5.
Ocelot. 978-1-098-26183-2.
Poison Dart Frog. 978-1-098-26184-9.
Sloth. 978-1-098-26185-6.
Toucan.  978-1-098-26186-3.

South America contains many unique habitats and is home to a diverse collection of animals, some of which are examined in Abdo’s South American Animals series. Each oversize volume introduces readers to an animal that calls South America home. The volume opens with a brief overview of the South American continent. Then, readers are introduced to an animal. Topics covered include the animal’s habitat, physical characteristics, diet, and reproduction. This reviewer had the opportunity to view the volume on Sloths, which discussed two-toed and three-toed sloths, the slow moving (or at some times, stationary) lifestyle of the sloth, and baby sloths, among other topics. Back matter present in the volume included a page of additional facts, glossary, and link to Abdo’s extension activities and resources online.

THOUGHTS: This series is a nice option for young researchers as well as animal fans. The large, simple text makes the series an excellent non-fiction selection for beginning readers. All readers will appreciate the large, high-quality photos that accompany the text. 

597-599, 636 Animals

Elem. – Bravo, Little Bird!

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Silvestro, Annie. Bravo, Little Bird! Simon & Schuster, 2023. 978-1-665-90692-0. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PK-3.

Attracted by the sound of a piano, Little Bird flies from her valley, up a hill, and to a house where an old man plays his piano while his wife paints. Enchanted by the music, Little Bird joins in, singing to the music. When his grandson visits, the old man teaches him all he knows about music, and as Little Bird’s babies grow, she teaches them all she knows about music. Together, they all make music that floats down into the valley. In time, the grandfather becomes more and more tired, and the grandson and Little Bird keep the music alive. When the grandfather passes, the music stops… until one day Cardinal helps Little Bird discover the old man’s music living on in the valley below. Together, Cardinal, Little Bird and the residents of the valley bring the music back up the hill to the boy and his grandmother.

THOUGHTS: Music comes full circle in this book, both bringing a family together and showing the family that their loved one lives on in others. This gentle message of the gifts we give others in our lives offers a strong addition to library and guidance collections focused on supporting patrons and families experiencing loss. The story also provides opportunities for healing discussions with families. Recommended for libraries and guidance collections looking to add this message to their offerings. Consider as an option for students older than the listed age range as well.

Picture Book 

Elem. – Interesting Animals (Series NF)

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Murray, Julie. Interesting Animals. Abdo, 2023. $21.95 ea. $131.70 set of 6. 24 p. Grades PreK-2. 

African Painted Dogs. 978-1-098-26412-3.
Caracals. 978-1-098-26413-0.
Flamingos. 978-1-098-26414-7.
Honey Badgers. 978-1-098-26415-4.
Red Pandas. 978-1-098-26416-1.
Tree Kangaroos. 978-1-098-26417-8.

Early readers will have the opportunity to learn about some of nature’s unique creatures in the Interesting Animal series. Each volume incorporates high-quality photographs and simple text to share basic information (range, habitat, size, physical characteristics, diet and more) about the animal. In Caracals, readers will learn all about the wild African cat known for its tufted ears, strength, and speed. Backmatter includes an Animals Features page with close up views of some of the key physical features of the animal as well as a visual/text glossary. A QR code leads readers (or educators) to additional resources online, including a craft, word search, coloring page, and more. 

THOUGHTS: This visually appealing series is sure to fly off library shelves and is an excellent non-fiction choice for younger readers. The series would also be a great option for teachers looking for resources for a unit on animals. The online resources could be used within the classroom setting as extension activities or projects. 

599 Animals

Elem. – Animal Fact Files (Series NF)

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McHale, Brenda. Animal Fact Files. Bearport, 2023. $19.95 ea. $79.80 set of 4. 24 p. Grades 1-3.

Animals in the Air. 978-8-885-09353-8.
Animals in the Sand. 978-8-885-09354-5.
Animals on Land. 978-8-885-09355-2.
Animals Under Water. 978-8-885-09356-9.

Animal non-fiction titles are a popular choice for many readers, who will likely gobble up the new series Animal Fact Files. Featuring engaging text and numerous photos, this series aims to share interesting and unique facts about various categories of animals. This reviewer had the opportunity to read Animals in the Sand, which featured facts on eight animals (meerkats, honeypot ant, shovel-snouted lizard, etc.) that make the desert their home. A brief introductory passage discusses what types of animals live in sandy habitats, before transitioning to two page spreads on each of the spotlighted spotlighted animals. Each spread features a fact file box to identify the type of animal, range, and diet. The remainder of the spread features 4-5 facts about the animal as well as 2-4 photographs. A closing chapter briefly introduces some additional creatures that reside in the desert. Each volume contains a glossary and index. 

THOUGHTS: Best suited for recreational reading as opposed to research, this series merits consideration for elementary libraries looking for engaging animal titles. Readers will enjoy the mix of animals featured, from the common to the less well-known. Sure to be popular with fans of fact-style books as well as animal fans. 

591 Animals

Elem. – How Birds Sleep

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Obuchowski, David. How Birds Sleep. Illustrated by Sarah Pedry. Minedition US, 2023. 978-1-662-65097-0. $17.99. Grades K-3. Unpaged.

As the title implies, this book seeks to shed light on the mysterious and fascinating sleeping habits of various birds throughout the world. Each spread features a bird species or two, along with a brief description of how that species sleeps. Some of the facts presented are highly interesting; for instance, mallards stand on one leg to sleep, vernal hanging parrots sleep upside down, and sooty terns sleep while they fly! Beautiful, detailed illustrations complement the text. End matter includes information about sleep and climate change, as well as a list of resources for readers aiming to learn more about birds in their area.

THOUGHTS: This book is perfect for elementary science collections, as it contains well-researched, factual information that is accessible and appealing to young children. While it is not a very fast-paced book, it would be a great bedtime read for fact-loving and/or bird-loving kids.

598.15 Birds

Elem. – Palace of Books

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Polacco, Patricia. Palace of Books. A Paula Wiseman Book, 2023. 978-1-5344-5131-5. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3.

Palace of Books follows Patricia Polacco’s journey moving from Indiana to Battle Creek, Michigan and how she discovered her local public library. It is also the story of how she discovered John James Audubon and how her love of drawing birds really flourished and grew into a bird club that started at the school she attended and continued for over 60 years. The illustrations are very classic Patricia Polacco and encourage the reader to go back through the book multiple times. There is an author note at the end of the book, which really brings the whole story into perspective and gives the reader more insight.

THOUGHTS: Patricia Polacco books should automatically be added to every elementary collection, and this one is no different. I highly recommend adding this book to your collection.

Picture Book

Elem. – Opossums

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Andrews, Elizabeth. Twilight Animals. ABDO Books, 2023. 24 p. $21.95 ea. $131.70 Set of 6. Grades K-2. 

Barn Owls. 978-1-098-24205-3. 
Bears. 978-1-098-24206-0.
Bobcats. 978-1-098-24207-7.
Moose. 978-1-098-24208-4.
Opossums. 978-1-098-24209-1.
Skunks. 978-1-098-24210-7.

This reviewer had the opportunity to read Opossums. Opossums are some of nature’s most unique twilight animals. As the sun sets, opossums ready themselves for an evening of eating. They eat anything from insects to vegetables, trash, roadkill, and even poisonous snakes and ticks. This title highlights additional facts about these unique nocturnal animals, including information about their physical characteristics, habitat, and behavior. Large, colorful photographs showcase opossums in their natural surroundings and highlight features such as their paws, ears, and tail. QR codes sprinkled throughout the book offer access to digital resources such as a PBS video about opossums, information about other marsupials, and activities like a word search and a maze. Backmatter includes a section titled “Making Connections” that challenges readers to make text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections about opossums. Additional text features include a Table of Contents, Glossary, and Index. 

THOUGHTS: This eye-catching title will draw in the youngest nonfiction fans, and the QR codes add an additional dimension to the title’s simple text. This book will work well for units featuring nocturnal animals or discussions about marsupials or omnivores. 

598-599 Aves (Birds), Mammalia (Mammals)

Elem. – Oslo Learns to Swim

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Cushman, Doug. Oslo Learns to Swim. Simon Spotlight, 2023. 978-1-665-92648-5. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades 1-3.

Oslo Learns to Swim follows two best friends Oslo a bird and Rex a warthog on a hot summer day Rex is going swimming. Oslo has a lot of questions such as, are there sharks or giant squid?  Eventually it comes out that Oslo doesn’t know how to swim, so Rex teaches him. At the end of the story there are two crocodiles headed to go swimming as well.  One crocodile tells the other he is afraid of warthogs.

THOUGHTS: This book is perfect for fans of Elephant and Piggie or just funny easy readers. Must have for any elementary library collection.

Beginning Reader
Humor

Elem. – Knight Owl

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Denise, Christopher. Knight Owl. Christy Ottaviano Books. 978-0-316-31062-8. 44 p. $17.99. Grades K-3. 

Owl is smart, brave, and resourceful, and he dreams of putting these traits to the test by becoming a knight. When knights start disappearing from the castle, Owl applies to knight school, and to everyone’s surprise, is accepted. After graduating, he’s assigned to the Knight Night Watch. Each evening, he patrols the castle wall, and unlike his companions, never falls asleep once. One night, a large dragon lands on the castle wall and threatens to eat Owl. With some quick thinking, Owl suggests the dragon try some pizza instead. The pair munch on slices and bond over their shared experiences of hatching from eggs, love of the nighttime, and soaring through open skies. Owl’s bravery and cleverness lead to a surprising new friendship as he proves that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. This title’s digitally created illustrations feature nighttime shades of blue, yellow, and brown, and Owl’s vivid facial expressions and large eyes feature prominently on many pages. 

THOUGHTS: Themes of perseverance and working toward your dreams take center stage in this book, as does the idea of brains trumping brawn. Owl also demonstrates the true traits of a hero: quick wits, a sense of humor, and a big heart. This title will be popular with readers clamoring for titles featuring dragons, knights, and life during medieval times. 

Picture Book          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD