Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Birds

by Julie Beer

This fun, photo-filled, and fact-packed bird guide will make kids Stop! Look! and Listen! to find the feathered friends right in their own backyards. From ducks to hawks, sparrows to sandpipers, kids will learn how, where, and when to spot birds all over the United States. With tons of info and interactivity prompts, it's the perfect companion for bakyard or field trip, camping or vacation. Durable and portable, it's just right for pocket or backpack

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Birds

160 pages, Paperback

First published February 9, 2016

Reviews

[Dena McMurdie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter pounced on this book before I even got a look at it. It’s a field guide of North American birds. It has photos and information about dozens of birds. They’re divided up by characteristics rather than alphabetically, but there is an alphabetical index in the back for quick reference.

My daughter has carted this book around with her everywhere since we got it. She’s gone on several bird-watching excursions in our backyard and in the woods nearby. She even brings it on errand runs in case she sees a bird at the grocery store.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cool little guide for kids and up. I like the little facts and I even use them in some of our Nature lessons focused on birds.

[Dorine White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this is a scientific exploration book I wanted to see how my younger boys reacted to it first. I gave them the field guide and they eagerly turned the pages, looking at the pictures and reading the names of the birds. My seven year old liked it the best, and actually started asking questions about what he was reading. So, good news there.

Now, my thoughts. I can not stress how amazing the photography is. The birds come to life in beautiful, candid shots that had me eager to turn the pages. They are arranged in the book based on the species they belong to. This works well, except that I wondered about why they were part of the same species or why that species name came about. For example, there are a family of birds classified as goatsuckers, huh? Why? I would have loved to know.

Kids will find each bird entry full of details and easy to decode. There is a map for each bird that shows where in North America in can be found and at what times of the year. There are also drawn illustrations of each bird with specific physical details pointed out so that young bird watchers can identify their birds. There are also occasional Bird Nerd facts, jokes and True or False questions.

Dividing up the book are special Birdtastic Features that show full color photographs of bird habitats, strange bird behaviors, extinct birds and more. You can also find a quick ID guide in the rear of the book.

Personally, I found this an enjoyable book. As a non-fiction title it is specifically geared toward young middle graders who want simple facts and easy identifications. It is the perfect size for kid readers and is great for those with a slight interest and those who actually want to go exploring in the wild. 4.5 stars!

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book. I look at it every day. I try to find the birds in the book.