Backyard Birding for Kids [Mass Market Paperback]

Fran Lee (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Acitvities for Kids

The newest in our popular children's activity line for budding bird lovers!

This informative field guide and activity book teaches kids about birds of all varieties, in the city, country, desert, or at the beach-because no matter where you go, you're bound to spot a bird! Kids will learn about making the backyard bird-friendly, building a bird feeder, and creating their own bird watching notebook to record sightings, locations, information, and notes from the field.

From city birds (the Ruby Throated Hummingbird) to desert birds (the Red-tailed Hawk), kids of all ages will learn about common and not-so-common birds, with detailed diagrams and illustrations. With activities like how to grow a garden to attract birds and how to contribute to the care of the native birds in the area, this is the perfect book to get kids engaged with our feathered friends at an early age, and to encourage them to go outside and have fun while they learn!

Fran Lee has illustrated and designed many books in the Gibbs Smith activity book series including Cooking on a Stick, Haunting on a Halloween, Riding on a Range, Wishing on a Star, and Putting on a Party. Fran lives in Los Angeles.

(20050627)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8–Lee's mundane illustrations and problematic text combine to provide an ineffective presentation. Divided into three sections, the book includes the why, how, and where of bird watching and how to encourage birds to visit one's backyard and other locations, followed by suggestions of what to wear and take on a birding trip. The best parts are the discussion of field marks and the two explanatory pages that follow, because a bird's distinctive markings added to correct terminology supply all the clues needed to identify the species. The second part is comprised of six sections: city, woodland, country, wetland, seashore, and desert birds. A short summary of the habitat is followed by six poorly drawn examples that lack sufficient detail. Without a range map of where the bird can be found, readers will not know, for example, that they won't find a cardinal on the West coast. Some of the activities, especially Your Bird-Watching Notebook, are inspiring, despite the dull illustrations, but beware of Ted's Bird Shelf; under materials needed, it lists a hand or power saw (no safety precautions included) and screws (but no screwdriver). The final section is made up of miscellaneous subjects: an alphabetical list of state birds; care of baby birds; groups to join; and recommended books, most of which are too adult for this book's readership. Jonathan P. Latimer and Karen Stray Nolting's Backyard Birds (Houghton, 1999) gives children just the right amount of information to identify birds, using the best in photography and Roger Tory Peterson's famous illustrations.–Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

Trying to keep your brood off the couch this summer? This primer will turn them into enthusiastic wildlife watchers.
(Newsweek )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith (May 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586854119
• ISBN-13: 978-1586854119
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #58 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Birds > Nonfiction

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Concise and kid-friendly intro to birding, October 14, 2009

By 

Experienced Editor (Illinois, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Backyard Birding for Kids (Mass Market Paperback)

Backyard Birding for Kids offers an introduction that's well targeted to the middle elementary school reader. Plenty of headers, short sidebars, and colorful computer art on every page make the text appealing and accessible to modern young eyes. Readers and browsers will quickly learn how to get started in bird watching, first in their own backyards, then on birding expeditions.
Instructions for hands-on activities, some requiring adult assistance, describe how to attract birds, how to make various feeders, how to start a bird-watching club, and what to do if you find a baby bird. An unusual suggestion is the "birdbath dripper," a simple device that lets wild birds enjoy a backyard shower. Also scattered throughout the text are fun facts. It's impressive to realize the scales on a bird's legs and feet are a visible link to their prehistoric reptilian ancestors.
No substitute for a comprehensive bird-identification guide, this book contains only a handful of bird descriptions for each habitat (backyard, city, woods, countryside, wetlands, seashore, and desert), and the illustrations lack sufficient detail for identifying exact species. The text differentiates American crow from common raven, for example, but their pictures are almost indistinguishable. Identification is not the book's main purpose, and the list of things to pack in a birder's backpack starts with a regular field guide, along with a notebook, binoculars, hat, ID, and such.
The real strength of Backyard Birding for Kids lies in the way the book offers concise and kid-friendly bites of information that will intrigue readers without overwhelming them.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Birding for Kids if fun!, July 29, 2005

By 

T. Wallace "bird lover" (phoenixville pa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Backyard Birding for Kids (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a good book for young children (7-10) starting in birding. There is a lot of interesting facts about common birds. There is also ideas for homemade treats and homemade bird boxes and baths. I enjoyed this book myself. I would recommend it for the young "birder" in your family.

5.0 out of 5 stars Get the kids out of the house!, November 20, 2008

By 

Howard Clark Jr. (Clovis, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Backyard Birding for Kids (Mass Market Paperback)

The book is bound for durability and printed on heavy paper for continued and enthusiastic use by children. As expected, the book is a basic introduction to birding, beginning with brief, easy-to-understand discussions on what a birdwatcher is, where to look, and what equipment is needed. Common names and species names are discussed and very informative sections are provided on the field mark system, parts of a bird (feathers, etc.), bird song, bird-watching etiquette, and the obvious, "birds are everywhere!"

The next several sections of the book delve into the various bird worlds, such as city birds, woodland birds, country birds, wetland birds, seashore birds, and desert birds. Common birds representing these habitat types are illustrated cartoon-like, but are adequate enough to bring out the field marks and allow for children to have an enjoyable time identifying birds.

Intermixed through these habitat sections are a variety of projects in which children can participate, such as starting a birding group, making hummingbird feeders and nesting boxes, planting sunflower gardens, and making birdbaths. Near the end of the book there are brief biographies on James Audubon and Roger Tory Peterson, two great men, and two great influences on birding. Also, advice is given on what to do when a baby bird is found and how to create a birding journal.

Overall, the book covers every aspect of birding that a child requires to start this wonderful and interesting hobby. For any child showing interest in birds and wildlife, this book is highly recommended as a starting point.