Noisy Bird Sing-Along

by John Himmelman

Overview

Every kind of bird has their very own kind of sound! Cheerful sounds, mournful sounds, sweet sounds, weird sounds. You can tell who they are without even opening your eyes. And what fun to sing along!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781584695134
Publisher:	Dawn Publications
Publication date:	03/01/2015
Series:	Noisy Sing-Along Series , #3
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.60(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD750L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 9 Years

About the Author

John Himmelman has traveled the world in search of birds. He is a past president of the New Haven Bird Club in Connecticut, and leads birding trips for various organizations. He also created “The Big Sit!”—an event in which participants all over the planet choose one spot, a 17-foot circle, to count all the birds they see and hear in 24 hours. John is the author and/or illustrator of over 75 books for children. He is married to Betsy, a high school art teacher.

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2015
K-Gr 2—This exuberant introduction to bird sounds covers many species found across the country—house sparrows, mallards, robins, yellow warblers, nuthatches, and more—and others from more limited ranges. Each spread shows the bird calling in its habitat and describes the sound and the landscape. Large and striking, bright images of each bird fill the page. Especially effective are the entries on the American woodcock, the whip-poor-will, and the barred owl. The tap-tap-tap of the downy woodpecker and the hum of the Anna's hummingbird's wings are nonvocalization sounds that round out the repertoire of these 12 noisy creatures. An appended one-page "Fun Facts About the Birds" adds more information. Tips for teachers and caregivers are covered in "Birdy Things to Do," as are resources for further learning activities. VERDICT This fun, informative, and inspiring title is a solid addition to science collections.—Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA

School Library Journal

2014-12-22
A say-along, sing-along invitation introduces the art of birding by ear through simple, recognizable bird songs and sounds and, mostly, familiar birds.From the "Cheery up? Cheerio!" of the robin to the "tap, tap, tap" of the downy woodpecker, each spread includes a common phonetic description of a bird's sound ("Oh Sweet Canada"; "Who cooks for you"; "Chick-a-dee-dee-dee") and where and when the bird might be found. Spare illustrations accurately show the birds and something of their environments: a yellow warbler on a cattail, a mallard in a pond, a house sparrow on a brick wall. Many of the birds are familiar daytime visitors to backyards and parks; young readers are less likely to encounter nocturnal singers like the barred owl, whip-poor-will and woodcock. A few are specifically northern or eastern. The Anna's hummingbird is only found on the Pacific coast, but its sound and appearance are not too unlike its eastern ruby-throated counterpart. Further information is included in the backmatter, where readers will find a description of the male woodcocks' dance and the advice to "pinch your nose shut" while imitating the call of the white-breasted nuthatch. There are also suggestions for other birding activities. For fostering nature awareness, this is a welcome companion to the author's previous titles about noisy bugs and noisy frogs. (Informational picture book. 4-9)

Kirkus Reviews

The reader is invited to sing the songs of the featured birds. The robin starts the day with, “Cheer up? Cheerio!” White-throated sparrows sing, “Oh Sweet Canada.” A yellow warbler calls out, “Sweet, Sweet, I’m so sweet!” Other birds included are the barred owl, the black-capped chickadee, the whip-poor-will, a mallard duck, a woodcock, a nutchatch, a humming bird, a house sparrow, and a downy woodpecker. The illustrations provide a sense of the habitat of each bird and the brief text explains where the bird lives and what it eats. Most of the pictures show a side view of the bird with its beak open in song. The mallard, however, presents a frontal image which could seem scary and confrontational to small children. Unfortunately, this was chosen as for the cover art, as well. Back pages include a listing of “Fun Facts About the Birds,” “Birdy Things to Do,” and information about the author/illustrator. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.; Ages 5 to 8.

Children's Literature - Phyllis Kennemer