BEAKS by Sneed B. Collard

What first grabs you about this book is the stunning artwork by Robin Brickman – gorgeous three-dimensional paper vignettes, beautifully colored and detailed. Happily, the prose works too, with plenty of interesting facts about why each bill works so well for each bird.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A
Worldview: In the section on Hawaiian Honeycreepers Collard says, “Over time all life changes – we call this process evolution” and then briefly discusses what some might argue to be natural selection. Otherwise, neutral.

BIRDS BUILD NESTS by Yvonne Winer

A very pretty book full of intricate watercolors of birds and their nests. The birds featured are from all around the world. The text rhymes and does a good job of it, never seeming pushed. There’s a Nest Identification Guide in the back of the book which gives good information about each nest and its inhabitant. Also includes a list of suggested book and internet resources.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

BIRD CALLS (PLAY THE SOUNDS AND PULL THE TABS)

We really enjoyed this book – it’s interactive and informative and one that will probably get used over and over again. The book focuses on eight relatively common birds (American Robin, Killdeer, Barred Owl, Eastern Towhee, Northern Cardinal, Black-Capped Chickadee, Red-Winged Blackbird and Northern Bobwhite), giving each a spread and a button to push to hear its song. Each spread has a “Who Am I” clue on one side and a bird illustration hidden under pull tab panels. Lift the left side panel and you will find more detailed information about the bird discussed. Engaging writing and big, colorful illustrations.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK FOR CHILDREN by Thornton W. Burgess

An absolute classic! Originally published in 1919, Burgess dedicated his book “to the children and the birds of America that the bonds of love and friendship between them may be strengthened”, and he, indeed, succeeds. Burgess uses the characters Peter Rabbit and Jenny Wren to discuss bird behavior. Full of personality and humor, this book is an incredibly enjoyable read and the kids will be begging for more. For those of you doing the ScrapandLearn.com™ Beautiful Birds Scrapbooking Kit, birds discussed include the House Wren, Robin, Flicker, Meadow Lark, Mockingbird, Goldfinch, Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Chickadee, and the Loon. For a wonderful treat, read this aloud while your children scrapbook the corresponding bird.
Educational Value: A+
Entertainment Value: A+

THE EMPEROR’S EGG by Martin Jenkins

A HUGE (width-wise) book about Emperor Penguins and their breeding habits in Antarctica. This book tells essentially the same story that is told in the movie March of the Penguins, but in a simpler, friendlier style. The mother penguin leaves the egg she laid with the father penguin to care for while she goes off in search of food. Dad carefully protects the egg for two entire months (with no food) while he waits for her return. The illustrations are bright and, literally almost as big as small posters. Lots of great facts told in an endearing, conversational style. This book won quite a few awards including the National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Book for Children.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

FINE FEATHERED FRIENDS - ALL ABOUT BIRDS (Cat in the Hat Learning Library) by Trish Rabe

This book successfully combines cute rhymes with a good amount of information. We learn what makes a bird a bird and some very interesting characteristics about certain species (chickadees, geese, ostriches, etc.). Has the added benefit of being a good book for beginning readers to tackle on their own. Typical, fun Cat In The Hat –type illustrations.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

HOW DO BIRDS FIND THEIR WAY?
By Roma Gans

A really interesting book about migration. How do birds know that to fly south, the sun must be on the right? Besides the position of the sun, the book also explores the use of star patterns, landmarks and internal compasses all in a very easy-to-understand way. Has a good illustration showing how high different birds fly as well.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

THE LIFE CYCLE OF A BIRD by Bobbie Kalman

This book stays uncomplicated, yet manages to introduce concepts like embryo development, the difference between precocial and altricial birds and courtship displays. The writing is straight-forward, if a little dry. Illustrations are a mix of photos and illustrations, some of which look a little dated. Still the information is worthwhile and well-organized.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: B
Worldview: There is a mention of Archaeopteryx, stating that it is “both dinosaur and bird” and that “scientists believe that birds evolved from dinosaurs”.

WELCOME BROWN BIRD by Mary Lyn Ray

This book focuses on one bird in particular – a Wood Thrush – and his migratory journey. The story is told from the views of two boys – one in the U.S., who waits for the bird in the spring and one in South America, who waits for the bird every fall. Peaceful and poetic, the book is well-written with lovely illustrations and relays the concept of migration in a simple and enjoyable way.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

WHEN AGNES CAWS by Candace Fleming

This is a cute picture book for the younger set. A young girl who has a talent for bird calling is pitted against an evil bird collector in the search for the exclusive Pink-Headed Duck. The nice thing is, the Pink-Headed Duck is a real bird – as are the other birds mentioned in the book. There’s extra information on them in the front and end papers. Could inspire a potential birder.
Educational Value: B
Entertainment Value: A

THE BOY WHO DREW BIRDS (A Story of John James Audubon) by Jacqueline Davies

This is a lovely picture book that tells a simple story about Audubon. In the book, Audubon comes to America and wonders about what happens to birds during the winter. He ties strings around the legs of the babies in the spring and then waits until the following spring to see if they return. According to the author’s notes, he was indeed the first person in North America to try this experiment. Beautifully drawn, intricate illustrations accented with watercolors accompany this well-written text. Also includes interesting scrapbook-style collages.
Education: A
Entertainment: A

SPARROW JACK by Mordrai Gerstein

A picture book biography about John Bardsley – the man credited with introducing the sparrow to North America. The book discusses the reason Bardsley brought them over and how he did it. The pen and paint illustrations are lovely and the story is told in an interesting and whimsical way. Highly recommended.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

BACKYARD BIRDS OF WINTER by Carol Lerner

This book would be very helpful to have near the window, if you have a feeder outside. It focuses on common winter birds and includes a handy range map next to each bird illustration. Information includes identification, some behavioral observations and suggestions for what types of feeder food will attract the featured birds. The watercolor and pen drawings are lovely and detailed. Overall, an attractive and useful book. For those of you using the ScrapandLearn.com™ Beautiful Birds! Kit, birds mentioned include Goldfinch, Robin, Flicker and Chickadee. Also check out Lerner’s Backyard Birds of Summer, which is the same format ,but with summer birds. Birds mentioned in the summer book include Ruby-Throated Hummingbird and House Wren, among others.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

THE BACKYARD BIRDSONG GUIDE by Donald Kroodsma

How often do you hear a bird in your backyard, but don’t actually see it? This is a great book to help you and your kids identify that bird by sound. Just take it into the yard with you and start punching in possibilities. This book features actual recorded songs of 75 species of common backyard birds, paired with detailed illustrations. Mr. Kroodsma is a fellow at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and has included information on each bird including a range map, habitat, physical description, and some comments and details about the bird’s song. The information is written in a refreshingly conversational tone. If you’re doing the ScrapandLearn.com™ Birds! Kit, birds in this book include the Loon, Great Horned Owl, Northern Flicker, Chickadee, House Wren, Robin, Mockingbird, Meadowlark and Goldfinch. Play the corresponding calls as your child scrapbooks!
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A
Worldview: Mr. Kroodsma does prescribe to evolutionary theory and includes some comments on it in the beginning section of the book. Otherwise, neutral.

THE BURGESS BIRD BOOK FOR CHILDREN by Thornton W. Burgess

An absolute classic! Originally published in 1919, Burgess dedicated his book “to the children and the birds of America that the bonds of love and friendship between them may be strengthened”, and he, indeed, succeeds. Burgess uses the character of Peter Rabbit and Jenny Wren to discuss bird behavior. Full of personality and humor, this book is an incredibly enjoyable read and the kids will be begging for more. For those of you doing the ScrapandLearn.com™ Beautiful Birds Scrapbooking Kit, birds discussed include the House Wren, Robin, Flicker, Meadow Lark, Mockingbird, Goldfinch, Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Chickadee, and the Loon. For a wonderful treat, read this aloud while your children scrapbook the corresponding bird.
Educational Value: A+
Entertainment Value: A+

FIFTY FAVORITE BIRDS COLORING BOOK by Lisa Bonforte

This book, published by Dover, has nice illustrations on relatively thick paper for kids to color in. This exercise will help kids immensely with bird identification, since they will begin to notice field marks as they color. We do suggest you have them work from a field guide when coloring, as the color samples at the start of this book are not very detailed and there is not much information given. For those of you using the ScrapandLearn.com™ Beautiful Birds! Kit, birds featured include Chickadee, Flicker, Goldfinch, House Wren, Mockingbird, Robin, and Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. Have your kids add these to their scrapbooks when they finish!
Educational Value: B
Entertainment Value: A

WHAT’S THAT BIRD? A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO BACKYARD BIRDING by Joseph Choiniere and Claire Mowbray Golding

A comprehensive overview to birds of North America. Unlike many books of this genre, “What’s That Bird” is a well-organized guide to all things feathered. It gives a detailed overview of how birds fly, migrate and generally live and presents complicated information in a conversational, casual tone with a sense of humor. Excellent photography. Highly recommended for the beginning birder.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

BIRDS IN THE BUSHES (A STORY ABOUT MARGARET MORSE NICE) by Julie Dunlap

This is a very inspiring about Margaret Morse Nice – one of the first women ornithologists in America. At a time when women, especially women scientists, were not taken very seriously, Nice managed to gain worldwide respect by recording studies of the birds in her own backyard. This well-told book leads the reader through how she did it and shows that great things can be accomplished, no matter what your circumstances.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: B

HAWK HILL by Suzie Gilbert

An inspiring story about a lonely boy who becomes involved rehabilitating injured raptors. Beautiful watercolors punctuate the well-written prose. This book will definitely get some kids dreaming of helping injured birds someday. Includes a glossary of the different types of raptors.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

INTO THE WOODS – JOHN JAMES AUDUBON LIVES HIS DREAM by Robert Burleigh

A biography about Audubon done in a combination of poetry and excerpts from his journal. In the book, Audubon tries to explain to his father why he would rather study birds than become a shop keeper. The poetry is very well-done and gives the book a dreamy feel. The accompanying journal excerpts are interesting and have beautiful corresponding illustrations. A very nice introduction to Audubon for this age.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

SHE’S WEARING A DEAD BIRD ON HER HEAD by Kathryn Lasky

This picture book tells the true story of friends Harriet Hemenway and Minna Hall - the founders of the Audubon Society. The book relates that during the late 1800’s, it became the fashion for women to wear feathers and entire dead birds on their hats. At a time when women weren’t taken seriously, Hemenway and Hall managed to begin the club that would become the driving force behind the bird protection movement. Bright, cartoonish illustrations are humorous and entertaining and pair well with the enjoyable prose.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

KAUFMAN FIELD GUIDE TO BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA by Kenn Kaufmann

This is by far our family’s favorite bird guide. Kaufmann, a very experienced birder, took all the things he would want in his “dream guide” and produced it here. Rather than painted images, he uses digitally enhanced photos (enhanced to show important field marks), the range maps are on the pages facing the corresponding birds (rather than having to page to the back), and identifying field marks are highlighted. Birds that might be confused are shown together and Kaufmann points out the differences. The guide is inclusive, yet a great little size for a backpack. Be sure to read the front pages for great tips on birding.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

BIRD, EGG, FEATHER, NEST by Mary Jo Koch

First of all, this book is absolutely stunning. It is organized into four sections – just as the title indicates. Each section contains an unbelievable amount of painstakingly detailed and beautiful illustrations. The book is presented in sketchbook style with interesting information, poetry and quotes scattered throughout. One spread has close to 80 eggs – each drawn true-to-life and labeled. An incredible, visual treat.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A
Worldview: The first four pages are dedicated to evolution and archaeopteryx is identified as “the missing link”. Otherwise, neutral.
Immodesty Alert: A spread about the swan near the end depicts DaVinci’s “Leda and the Swan” complete with nudes. Some strategically placed ink with a Sharpie marker will ease concerned parents minds.

CLEM, THE STORY OF A RAVEN by Jennifer Owings Dewey

A true story, written in first-person about a woman and her husband who adopt an orphaned raven (Clem). The couple has also adopted a Burrowing Owl, and we learn about him as well. We discover a lot about how very smart ravens really are (did you know they can count?) and about how difficult it can be to raise wild birds. This book won an award from the National Association of Science Teachers as an Outstanding Science Book for Children.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

FIRST FLIGHT ( A MOTHER HUMMINGBIRD’S STORY) by Noriko and Don Carroll

The true story of a husband and wife team who saw a wonderful opportunity to photograph the life of a hummingbird that happened to nest on their back porch. They watched and beautifully photographed the hummingbird’s every move as she built her nest and raised two tiny chicks. Well written, from a first-hand point of view, this is a completely pleasurable way to learn about the life of a hummer.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

FLYING CREATURES OF THE FIFTH DAY: EXPLORING CREATION WITH ZOOLOGY 1 by Jeannie Fulbright

A textbook popular with Christian homeschoolers, this book is almost too interesting to be called a textbook. Fulbright writes well and speaks directly to the reader, involving him through interesting information and periodic questions. Birds are covered in the first six chapters of this book (bats and insects take up the second half) and, if you are planning to use it as a textbook, expect each chapter to take a week or two. Chapters include wonderfully thought out experiments, and moms can prepare easily by taking advantage of preparatory lists. Lessons include What is Zoology, What Makes A Bird, Birds of a Feather, Flying Factuals, Nesting, and Matching and Hatching. Can also be used as a reference book.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A
Worldview: Strongly Christian and creationist throughout the book.

LIVES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS by Kenn Kaufman

Another Kaufmann book we like because of its readability and ease of use. This book features more than 900 birds with complete life histories for 680. Information includes a color photo of each bird, what they eat, where they build their nests, how many eggs they lay, what habitat they chose, when they migrate and what their current conservation status is. All information on a bird is grouped together – no thumbing back and forth. Very well done.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

JOHN JAMES AUDUBON, WILDLIFE ARTIST by Peter Anderson

This biography begins when Audubon is eighteen, setting sail for America and follows him through his adult life. Throughout the book, we get a true sense of his obsession with birds and how costly that obsession was to his family life. At the same time, we see how his perseverance pays off when his work is finally published and appreciated. The book is divided into short chapters and the writing, although a bit removed, manages to keep the reader’s interest. Plates of Audubon paintings are dispersed throughout, as well as interesting pictures of himself, his homes and his family and acquaintances.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: B

THAT QUAIL, ROBERT by Margaret Stanger

A fun and informative read about a quail that was raised in a family from a hatchling. For those that wonder if birds can have a personality, this book answers that question in spades. Robert expresses emotions and opinions daily. Although the bird is tamed to the point of preferring humans over its own kind, we still get good glimpses of natural bird behavior (ie: Robert decides to take a bath in the middle of the dining table during a dinner party), making it a worthwhile educational read as well.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: A

FLY AWAY HOME (1996) rated PG

A 13 year old girl loses her mother and ends up living with her estranged father in Canada. She adopts some wild baby geese and she and her father must teach them to migrate. This movie does teach a lot about geese and goose behavior. It’s touching in places, as the girl (Amy) copes with the loss of her mother and begins to bond with her dad. On the other hand, there seems to be a lot of “going against the authority” in this movie – a wildlife official is portrayed as evil and much of the movie concerns itself with fighting against development. There are also some things parents will want to be aware of (see below), but overall, an interesting and very pretty movie.
Educational Value: B
Entertainment Value: B
Immodesty Alert: The father has a girlfriend who, when asked if she lives with the father replies, “sometimes”. Three swear words (that we caught) beginning with “a”,”d” and “s”.
Worldview: When Amy tells her father she misses her mother, he tells her that her mother is “all around them, she’s right next to you, she’s in the geese”.

MARCH OF THE PENGUINS (2005) rated G

It’s truly amazing what a Penguin goes through to make a family! This documentary follows the life of a flock of Emperor Penguins as they travel 70 miles to choose mates and then take tedious care of the ensuing eggs. The movie is a visual treat and Morgan Freeman does a good job of narrating. Even so, the very young will definitely grow tired and could be disturbed when the penguins are attacked in a few of the scenes. Probably best for children 8 and up.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: B
Gore Alert: A Leopard Seal eats a Penguin (not actually shown, but we do see a close up of the seal’s mouth just before the attack) and a bird eats a newly-hatched chick.
Worldview: At the very beginning the narrator makes a reference to “millions of years”. Otherwise, neutral.

WINGED MIGRATION (2003) rated G

This movie is simply gorgeous. We see birds from around the world first flying north for the spring, nesting and caring for their babies, and then flying back south. There is some simply amazing footage of Geese, Storks, Cranes and Pelicans flying through cities, mountains and gorges. It’s very sparse on commentary and, instead is set to beautiful music. There is also wonderful footage of other birds doing their synchronized mating dances, running across water and simply just being their incredible selves. This would be good to watch with an atlas handy, so kids could track the birds’ journeys. If it gets too long, just fast forward a little. There is a “How We Did It” section to this move, which is interesting, since they employ the same techniques the man that the film “Fly Away Home” was based on used (imprinting and then using Ultralights). It was educational but it did take some of the magic of the film away. Probably best for 8 and up.
Educational Value: A
Entertainment Value: B (may be a bit long for some children)
Gore Alert: On the way back south, some geese are suddenly shot from the sky as well as a dramatic scene in the desert where some crabs attack and eat an injured bird. Concerned parents may want to preview and then skip.
Immodesty alert: Birds mate (not terribly graphic) near the beginning. In the “How We Did It” section, the narrator says “What the h---“.
Worldview: References to “80 million years ago” at the start, otherwise neutral.

Best Book Of Pirates:

Big Book of Pirates

Pirates (by Anastasio)

Pirates (by Nickles)

Pirate's Alphabet