About Birds: A Guide for Children
Written by Cathryn Sill
Illustrated by John Sill
This beautiful little book packs a lot into a very few words and pictures. It allows first graders and older to see common birds (cardinal, American robin) up close and to learn about birds in other parts of the world (common murre, magnificent hummingbird). It is a valuable introduction to the English/Spanish bilingual world. And it contains a wealth of information for those who want to know more. As a read aloud or for independent study, this volume of the “About” series provides a solid basis for comprehension of nature and conservation plus a boost to literacy skills.
It is presented as a picture book with a short sentence for each bird, translated into Spanish. e.g., “Some birds build nests on the ground. / Algunos párajos hacen sus nido en la tierra.” is followed by a realistic painting of an ovenbird and its nest. The afterword has longer explanations of each picture, a glossary, and bibliography with books and websites.
Detailed and realistic illustrations make the reader feel like they have actually seen the birds. As birds move fast and are shy of humans, it helps children to recognize our feathered friends.
Title: About Birds: A Guide for Children- Author: Cathryn Sill
- Illustrator: John Sill
- Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, 2014
- Reviewer: Sue Poduska
- Format: Paperback, unpaged
- Genre: Nonfiction, nature, bilingual
- ISBN: 978-1-56145-783-0