Bird Nerd

by Jennifer Ann Richter

Thoughtful, nerdy fifth-grader Nyla sets out to win her school's bird watching competition, while balancing old friends with new in this heartfelt debut.

Nyla Braun has always been called a nerd at her Philadelphia school. But that hasn’t stopped her from pursuing her nerdy hobbies, especially when she has best friend Tasha by her side. When a birding tournament between Nyla’s class and a class from a suburban school is announced, Nyla sees her chance to get the respect she deserves. If they win, that is. The Burb Birders will be tough competition.

With the contest underway, Nyla soon catches the attention of the most popular girl in class, who also wants to win, setting off a chain of small disasters as Nyla tries to balance old friends and new and the pressure to be cool when you really just want to be yourself.

Told with warmth and gentle humor, debut author Jennifer Ann Richter’s Bird Nerd combines a deep love of nature and birding with the story of a young girl learning to discover her own confidence and values.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Nature, Animals

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2024

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, heartfelt middle grade novel about a young Black birding nerd and her involvement in a birding competition. Good on audio narrated by Sisi Aisha Johnson and perfect for fans of books like Birds on the brain by Uma Krishnaswami.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel suffers from a lack of narrative thrust. A kid who is into birds would probably enjoy it because it's not badly written but there's never anything at stake for our protagonist, no real conflict to drive the story forward.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a birder book and in this one she is very excited about the competition between schools. My favorite parts are the journal entries where she describes the birds. Some are bullies some sound like R2D2. That part is always fun.
There is also the plot of friendships changing and new friendships evolving. I am glad this one had such a positive ending, also inspiring us to start making bird feeders.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nyla Braun, a Philly girl in her last year of elementary school, knows about birds thanks to her grandfather. It pays off when her class joins the Spring Birding Tournament playing against a suburban class, the City Birders versus the Burb Birders.

Not only is she involved in the competition but something is up with her best friend, Tasha, and her beloved grandfather is ill. Her classmates are not supportive of the contest at first and other kids call her group “bird nerds,” but Nyla perseveres. She creates a bird feeder station in her urban backyard, goes to a nearby park to birdwatch, and even visits her grandfather in Virginia and sees some cool birds there.

Will the City Birders beat the Burbs? There are so many more birds where there are more trees. Who knew a book about an elementary school birding contest could be so enthralling? You can tell the author of this book is a birder because of her descriptions of the birds and their behaviors. This book is not only about birds and birders, but it’s about family and friendships, perseverance, and doing something you love no matter what anyone else thinks.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fifth grader Nyla Braun is used to be considered a nerd by her classmates. She has interests that are different from most of theirs and is eager to answer her teacher's questions. She's pretty comfortable with this, but sometimes, just sometimes, she wishes that she was more popular or that the things in which she excels were more valued. When her class participates in a birding tournament with a class from the suburbs, she sees it as a possible path to popularity. But her desire to fit in and be accepted clashes with her loyalty to her best friend Tasha when popular Portia extends a different invitation. Tension between the girls increases, and they hardly speak at all even while Nyla becomes increasingly involved in preparing for the competition. There are so many aspects of this story that make it pleasurable to read: Nyla's relationship with her grandfather, her passion for birding, and the details about birdwatching that are woven into the central narrative. Nyla's journey of self-discovery with its ups and downs, is authentic and relatable, and this book's unique focus on birding, nestled within elements of social and class differences, provides additional layers to the story that make it worth reading. This debut novel is a 3.5 for me, and I enjoyed this glimpse in Nyla's world in Philadelphia.

[YSBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

What did you like about the book? Nyla Braun, a Philly girl in her last year of elementary school, knows about birds thanks to her grandfather. It pays off when her class joins the Spring Birding Tournament playing against a suburban class, the City Birders versus the Burb Birders.

Not only is she involved in the competition but something is up with her best friend, Tasha, and her beloved grandfather is ill. Her classmates are not supportive of the contest at first and other kids call her group “bird nerds,” but Nyla perseveres. She creates a bird feeder station in her urban backyard, goes to a nearby park to birdwatch, and even visits her grandfather in Virginia and sees some cool birds there.

Will the City Birders beat the Burbs? There are so many more birds where there are more trees. Who knew a book about an elementary school birding contest could be so enthralling? You can tell the author of this book is a birder because of her descriptions of the birds and their behaviors. This book is not only about birds and birders, but it’s about family and friendships, perseverance, and doing something you love no matter what anyone else thinks. Link to complete link: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Martha Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, this is a first novel. Ms Richter does a fine job recreating kids’ relationship sqyabbles. She does get the reader interested in birding but it gets too cute: “Nyla disliked squirmy silences. To her, they were as loud and irritating as the cry of a red tailed hawk.” Wonderful to have an urban black main character with an obsession with birds in Nyla, but the writing doesn’t go deep enough. There is no particular reason why Nyla suddenly understands her friends’ upset over her behavior, which was a classic ADHD/autism issue, which is not explored. The book is filled with great birding information – all the birds are real and really live in the 2 different ecosystems that our protagonist explores. An author to watch! This book would be great to recommend to kids who can see themselves or have a window into another world in the book. I am waiting for the author's next book. The author clearly has a heart for nature.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the cover, title, and description, I pegged this as a "quiet" middle grade book, and it is. But it also is a page-turner! I came to care so much about Nyla and her friends (and her maybe- or maybe-not friends) and her bird watching team, I couldn't put the book down.

BIRD NERD has lots of fun bird-watching factoids - just enough to teach some of the basics without overwhelming the reader. It also tackles some prickly issues such as stereotyping (the city kids vs. the suburban kids) without being preachy or heavy-handed.

But at its heart, this is a friendship book, and it captures the often confusing, sometimes hurtful, and ever dramatic role friends can play at that age in a very real way. It pulls no punches but has an overall hopeful message and tone that had me racing through to the very satisfying ending.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet middle grade novel about a young girl, Nyla, who loves birding. Her class is doing a birding competition with another class at a different school: The City Birders vs The Burb Birders. She lives in Philly and is part of the city class, and wants to win more than anything, but she's nervous about showing how smart she is to the class, some of whom call her "Encyclopedia Braun" because she knows so much. Meanwhile, in her eagerness to bird, she accidentally ostracizes her best friend.

Not much happens in this book, and that's okay. I think it would be great for kids who need really low stakes books. As a former teacher, the logistics behind the birding competition seemed unlikely. But I would still hand this to kids who get easily scared or anxious when reading, or who love birds.

[Jennybeast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, this is a little bit of a slow, quiet book. However, it deals beautifully with topics of high interest to upper elementary readers -- friendships and how to navigate them, worry over beloved elderly relatives, wildlife/nature/the world, anxiety about changes in the future, family/siblings, and competition. Also mild bullying. I really enjoyed how the competition unfolded and I found it very inspiring, especially the focus on birdwatching. I also love how strong and present Nyla's family is -- they are supportive of her interests, they are engaged with her but not overbearing. It's lovely.

[Tanya Schoor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heartfelt story, geared toward the middle grades, introduces Nyla, a young Philadelphia birder navigating the challenges of friendship and self-discovery as she leads her class in a tournament against a suburban school. The compelling storyline artfully touches on social and cultural topics while introducing the reader to the basic concepts of birding. It may even inspire you to pick up a new hobby! "Bird Nerd" is a refreshing return to creative literature that is wonderful for readers of any age.

[Dionna Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love about this sweet story is how much the main character, Nyla, loves bird watching. I too love keeping an eye on my aviary friends. I also appreciate how Nyla navigates her way through middle-school friendships, some with those who share her love for birds, and others with those who are bored to tears about the subject. I'm sure young readers will enjoy spending time with this kind-hearted Bird Nerd who wants nothing more than for her school to win a birding contest.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book about a girl who's smart, driven, and enthusiastic. Nyla makes a great role model, and she's fun to spend time with. From the first chapter, when she's struggling to resist raising her hand in class, I could empathize with her. My favorite part was the magic mix, and I also really loved the grandfather. This book will make you want to go out and buy some binoculars.

[Jacqueline Blake briglio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was going to be about a middle school bird enthusiast but it is so much more. It delves into navigating friendships, social class, and doing what you love. It was an excellent read

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

i will add this to my growing list of middle grade books that incorporate birds into the storyline. this one has a unique competition component. i thought the story was a little boring at times and could have included a lot more information about Birding.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Nyla and her friends. The relationships and scenarios were so realistic and relatable. I really enjoyed learning more about birds too!

[Jill Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Juvenile Fiction or Middle Grade Fiction. Contemporary School/Friends/Birding. Pennsylvania.

[Christene Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I now have a renewed interest in birds and bird songs. I found myself invested in the preteen birding drama and I'm not a bird nerd.

[Deni Tani · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I enjoyed all the nature references and trying to guess the bird while she described them.

[Poppy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book took me a while to read because it didn’t really hook me. Overall if you are interested in birds or birding in general this would be a good book to read and relate to.

[L.G. McFerren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming debut middle grade novel for outdoorsy kids who can appreciate a good school competition. The City Birders are competing against the Burb Birders and there's lots of teen angst, family and friendship drama that the main character, Nyla has to face. I love that the novel reinforces being true to yourself in the face of opposition - big or small and it encourages kids to get outdoors and become active in their community whether in the city or suburbs. I am looking forward to the next book by this author and highly recommend this read for young and old alike!