The Little Book of Woodland Bird Songs

Via double-page spreads, The Little Book of Woodland Bird Songs introduces children (and adults) to 12 woodland birds whose summer or winter ranges include Canada. The birds are the: Red Crossbill, Hermit Thrush, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Loon, Red-eyed Vireo, White-breasted Nuthatch, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Purple Finch, Barred Owl, Wild Turkey and Downy Woodpecker. Though the book’s title does include the word “woodland” (suggesting rural or even remote), urban readers will still encounter some of the birds in local parks or even their own back yards

In each spread, the left page is devoted to the major text which is consistently ordered as shown in the excerpt above, with the main text providing some interesting facts specific to the pages’ bird while the remainder of the text’s information is provided in point form. The right-hand page provides a close-up colour photo of the bird, with the bird being situated in its natural habitat. The only text on the photo page is the brief “DID YOU KNOW” statement.

What sets The Little Book of Woodland Bird Songs apart from other beginning bird identification books is the last word in its title. The authors recognize that we often hear birds before we see them, and so the book links the auditory with the visual. Bound with this sturdy board book and encased in durable plastic is a sound module having 12 song buttons, one for each of the book’s birds. Pressing the button bearing the portrait of the bird being read about activates the common sound that particular bird makes. The one-inch (3-cm) speaker actually provides excellent sound quality (and a battery is included).

The Little Book of Woodland Bird Songs is an excellent home purchase, but it should certainly also be considered by libraries and classrooms that are willing to accept some wildlife sounds.